Path of Ascension
by Ulquiorra9000
Summary: Jaina, an excitable young warrior on Theros, sets out on a quest to win Heliod's favor and prove herself a hero. But dark forces lurk in Theros' shadows, and some of them come from worlds that Jaina can't even imagine.
1. Chapter 1

**PATH OF ASCENSION**

**by Ulquiorra9000**

**Chapter 1**

"Jaina, you're next!"

Twenty-year-old Jaina, a warrior-in-training, grinned as she tossed her hair and strode toward her burly combat instructor. Well, one of several. Different teachers here instructed students on swordplay, archery, and combat-oriented magic. Jaina wasn't really the mage type, though. She preferred to get in the thick of things and let the fur fly. Some admired her for it, and others merely shook their heads.

This instructor, Mr. Loxan, had already bested several of his senior students here in the academy's courtyard. The wide, square courtyard was perfect for dueling and drilling, and Jaina felt alive as the warm Theros sun beat down on her. She smelled a cool ocean breeze wash over her; living in the coastal city Meletis meant that everything smelled vaguely like saltwater.

The previous student, covered in bruises and shallow cuts, staggered to his feet, picked up his scimitar in dejection, and slouched off. "Get him for me, will you?" he muttered to Jaina as the two trainees passed each other.

"Easy," Jaina said confidently.

"So, I hope at least _you'll _impress me, Jaina," taunted Mr. Loxan as he expertly twirled his scimitar, a well-crafted weapon imported from the distant city of Akroa. He often did this, using psychological warfare to both intimidate his students and drive them to excel.

Jaina heard her fellow students chanting her name, eager to see her best the notoriously tough Mr. Loxan. The girl felt her grin broaden as she took up her position fifteen feet in front of Mr. Loxan, then she made a respectful bow. _Today's the day I beat him and become a certified warrior of the Reverent Army!_

At least Jaina _looked _capable of beating Mr. Loxan. Unlike the pampered daughters of rich philosophers and merchants, her body had little body fat, but enough well-toned muscle to see her through any battle. Her lightly tanned skin matched her wavy brown hair and her green eyes had a mischievous gleam. Of course, she wasn't a _total _amazon; Jaina liked to think that she still had a womanly figure, enough to attract a suitor or two.

Still, she wasn't here to seduce her teacher. She was here to crush him!

"May Heliod's strength be with you," Mr. Loxan intoned, raising his chin.

"You, too," Jaina ground out as she settled into battle mode. The sun god, Heliod, was everything here in Meletis... and Jaina was determined to finally gain his favor.

Mr. Loxan snapped his scimitar into the ready position, his body tensed like an alert snake. "Begin!"

At once, without any hesitation, Jaina unsheathed her two steel short swords and leaped into action. With a cry, she spun like a dervish and filled the air with blinding steel. Although Jaina let loose with a war cry, Mr. Loxan was silent as he parried Jaina's blows, using only minimal movements.

"Fierce, but predictable," the instructor admonished his student. He ducked Jaina's next few blows and rammed the hilt into Jaina's side, forcing her to stagger back and wince at the pain.

For a split second, Jaina reassessed her foe. Then she tried another angle and occupied Mr. Loxan's attention with a short thrust aimed at his head. Just as quickly, Jaina followed up with a slash aimed at Mr. Loxan's hip.

"Better!" Mr. Loxan cried. He twisted away from Jaina's blow like a dancer, forcing his younger opponent to overextend. His scimitar swatted Jaina's other blade aside and with a mighty kick of his sandaled foot, he sent her sprawling onto her back.

Although Jaina kept a tight grip on her weapons, she could do little else as she crashed onto the grass. Dull but heavy pain throbbed in her chest where Mr. Loxan had kicked her and she dimly heard the students shouting at her to get up.

Jaina didn't waste any more time. She saw Mr. Loxan approaching her and knew that he'd show her no mercy if she failed to defend herself. So, she rolled away and swept a leg out to destabilize her opponent. It half-worked; Jaina's foot solidly connected with Mr. Loxan's right knee and forced him back, but it wasn't enough to stop him from hurling his scimitar at her.

Instead of getting to her feet, Jaina rolled again and let the thrown sword sink five inches into the soft, grassy dirt. Already, she saw Mr. Loxan approaching her and she bolted to her feet, swords slashing through the air.

"Oooooh!" The students cried out as Jaina's right sword sliced into Mr. Loxan's bulging bicep. Blood oozed from the wound and the instructor stumbled back a step, shocked.

Jaina's grin returned as she kept up the pressure. She filled the air with her dual blades as Mr. Loxan ducked, bobbed, and weaved to evade her blows. Again, however, Jaina's steel found its mark: her left sword grazed Mr. Loxan's right hip and cut through fabric and skin alike. Jaina felt her muscles burn and her heart hammered in her chest, but she didn't let that slow her down. At least, not yet.

"Enough!" Mr. Loxan thrust out his arms and a blinding flare of white mana forced Jaina to shut her eyes. Jaina knew what was going on: Mr. Loxan was calling upon his battle magic, gifted to him by Heliod himself. Few men in Meletis had mastered battle magic to the same extent as him, and if he was using it like this, Jaina's chances of winning were shrinking fast.

She had to end this _now._

Jaina circled Mr. Loxan like a predator cornering its prey and she kept up her assault. This time, her blades never found their mark. Mr. Loxan's white mana repelled them like a rubbery shield, then a pulse of divine mana swept Jaina away like a blast of wind.

Already, Jaina was scrambling to her feet, but in that short time, Mr. Loxan had recovered his scimitar and took his turn to attack. Jaina clenched her teeth but didn't make a sound as Mr. Loxan's blades scored repeated blows.

Some argued that the best defense was a good offense, and Jaina was always willing to try that. She narrowly slipped past another of Mr. Loxan's blows and lunged at his neck with both blades. He'd certainly have to call off his assault to block _that_!

No luck. Mr. Loxan's scimitar, quick as lightning, tangled itself in Jaina's swords and wrenched them out of her grip. Then, just as quickly, Mr. Loxan positioned his blade edge right on Jaina's throat. The message was clear: _you die._

"Risky. Far too risky." Mr. Loxan shook his head as he held his scimitar's cutting edge against Jaina's exposed neck. "I thought you had gotten over this habit, Jaina."

Jaina swallowed tightly and could have sworn that she felt the scimitar cut, ever so slightly, into her neck. "Against most opponents, I would have forced them back on the defensive. Then I could strike a sudden blow and end it."

"But I'm no ordinary opponent," Mr. Loxan reminded her as he finally lowered his scimitar, his eyes hard. "You always have to assume that your opponent is more powerful than you'd like. If you don't respect you opponent, you will never defeat him. Am I clear?"

"Yes," Jaina said grudgingly. The battle was over, but her heart was still pounding in her chest and she was sweating all over. She'd definitely visit the baths after this lesson.

"We will see," Mr. Loxan said. Then he raised his voice and called out, "Who is next?"

*o*o*o*o*

After a much-desired bath later that afternoon, Jaina set out to visit her favorite haunt: the Meletis agora, or town square. She had grown up in a forest village before moving here at age sixteen, and as a result, city life never failed to amaze her. She wondered what her faraway parents would think of all this.

Towering buildings of white stone rose like blocky trees, supported by soaring arches and sturdy columns. Temples to the gods (mostly Heliod and Thassa) were found in every street, with many worshipers climbing the wide stairways to enter the divine chambers within. Human, triton, and centaur merchants peddled their goods at the bazaar, from jewelry to fresh produce to exotic trade goods. City guards patrolled the wide streets in twos and threes, imposing in their gold armor and their crested helmets.

Not surprisingly, there was another lively public debate raging and Jaina happily wandered over to listen. She rarely understood half of what the philosophers debated, but their rhetoric sounded very pretty to her ears. Often, the verbal sparring felt familiar to her; combat with words and ideas rather than swords and bows.

"But we are _not _alone!" announced a slender woman, gesticulating wildly behind her podium while the multi-species audience listened on. She was a fashionable woman, wearing a blue and white toga with gold hoop earrings and fancy leather sandals. "Otherworldly beings already walk among us, strangers in a strange land!"

"Clearly, the will of the gods, beings created in our own world," the other rhetor, a broad-chested man, retorted. "They test us with peculiar beings to challenge our beliefs, for us to either reaffirm our ways or be open to new possibilities. Would the gods desire stagnation and decay of the mind?" Many members of the audience murmured assent.

The woman frowned for a second, then regained her composure. "The gods allow us internal change, the rise and fall of governments and ever-shifting politics and military boundaries. But the beings that you suggest would produce an artificial humanity! Would we truly be _us_, or just sculptures that the gods whimsically create? You think they would meddle with us so?"

Some of the audience members looked convinced as the debate continued in the warm, sunlit agora. Jaina was soon lost by the man's and woman's refined arguments, but she got the gist of it and she was intrigued. She had never actually met any person or creature more exotic than centaur traders, but she'd heard stories of wild things out there... menacing cyclopes, ocean-dominating krakens with armored hides, and merciless minotaur gangs. Why wouldn't there be a stranger from another world? It wasn't impossible...was it?

_Anyway, to business, _Jaina reminded herself as she tore herself away from the debate. She climbed the wide stone steps into the nearest temple and felt herself relax as she entered the shady, torch-lit interior. This wasn't her first time in a temple; as a trainee warrior of the Reverent Army, her every move was watched by Heliod, the great God of the Sun. She was only one of thousands whom Heliod observed, but she wanted to give him every reason to take interest in her.

Jaina had the temple to herself, so she knelt before a torch that gave off pure white flames. She closed her eyes, dipped her head, and clasped her knees to steady herself for what was to come. "Heliod, great master of the sun and justice, speak to me."

The effect was immediate; Jaina felt like she had become a mere ghost, floating out of her kneeling body and drifting to Nyx itself. She was a mere leaf in the wind as the multi-colored, star-strewn sky of Nyx surrounded her like an ocean. Great and fearsome beings and animals rose like titans around her, locked in frozen battles with snarls on their faces.

"Jaina." Heliod's booming but kind voice shuddered the very air and Jaina's spirit trembled with the force of it. "It has not been long since our last conversation, has it?"

Jaina found her voice. "No, it hasn't. But I just _had _to see you."

Of course, Jaina wasn't truly having a one-on-one conversation with Heliod himself; gods like him could split their consciousness across hundreds of locations at once, allowing them to talk with multiple followers. Heliod was the only god whom Jaina ever spoke to; she had no interest in Thassa's cryptic ocean talk, and Purphoros' fierce temper frightened her. And she knew better than to even think about reaching out to Erebos, the bitter god of death and shadows.

Heliod chuckled, a sound like an avalanche. "The persistence of mortals frustrates some of my kin, but I will listen. What troubles you, child?"

Jaina was sure that Heliod already knew, but he'd want to hear it from her. So she took a deep breath of Nyx air and confessed. "I took another sparring test today, but I failed, as did my classmates. Why can't I succeed, great one? Why has my strength failed me?"

Slowly, imperceptibly, Heliod's visage crept into Jaina's vision from the infinite darkness of Nyx. His bearded face, complete with his antlers and bright eyes, loomed over Jaina like a wall before an ant. "You are still young, Jaina. Time will reveal your inner strength."

"But I have tried!" Jaina cried desperately. "So many times, but I still failed! Heroes younger than me have accomplished more. I beseech you, great one, for your favor, to help me find my destiny. I am your devoted servant."

Heliod's great visage showed no expression but Jaina could somehow sense his displeasure. "We have had this discussion before," he boomed. "Jaina, I cannot grant you my favor out of your desperation and impatience. My answer has not changed."

"Great one, I -" Jaina started.

"Be at ease," Heliod assured her, more patient now. "I do not grant favor to those who cannot help themselves. I cannot find your strength for you; that's a path that only you walk. The path to ascension is traveled by your own two feet only."

Jaina opened her mouth to argue but she knew that it was a lost cause. She had hoped that this time, maybe, Heliod would decide to help her along her journey as a divine warrior. But it seemed not. "I can't convince you otherwise, can I?" she said dejectedly.

Heliod chuckled again. "You have a great gift of heart, Jaina, and should you nurture it, you will go far. Trust yourself. That is the first favor that you can gain: the one that you realize for yourself."

This wasn't entirely what Jaina wanted to hear, but darn it, Heliod had a point. Fine. So be it. "I understand, great one, and depart enlightened," she said, speaking the traditional farewell.

"And so you return to the sun's light," Heliod responded with the usual good-bye, and Jaina felt herself become solid, kneeling in the cool, torch-lit temple.

Jaina pounded the stone floor with a fist, teeth clenched. She had hit a wall; she trained hard every day and tried to be patient, but for what? She had made little progress in the last few months and she seemed no closer to any real adventure. Theros was a world for heroes and adventurers, and unless Jaina found a way to get herself there quickly...

Something came to mind. Jaina's old grin returned as she rose and walked out of the temple and back to the sunlit agora. Tomorrow, she'd ask the academy headmaster for a special mission, and one way or another, she'd get it.


	2. Chapter 2

**PATH OF ASCENSION**

**by Ulquiorra9000**

**Chapter 2**

Classes at the Meletis combat academy ended late in the afternoon like always, but instead of heading to the student barracks with the other trainees, Jaina set a course for the gardens of meditation. Normally she'd never go in there; that place was reserved for battle-wise students who communed with Heliod and Thassa for wisdom and guidance for their magic abilities. But Jaina's best friend was a budding battle-wise mage, so Jaina trotted through the academy's well-lit marble halls and into the open-sky garden.

Soft, grassy earth squished under Jaina's leather sandals as she headed for the circular pond in the garden's middle. Birds chirped in the flowery trees and frogs croaked on the pond's water lilies. A few blue-robed students sat cross-legged here and there, but they didn't even notice the warrior who barged right in on their meditation. As long as an instructor didn't find her here, she'd be fine like always.

On a large rock near the pond sat Sophia, a young woman Jaina's age. Unlike Jaina, she had unusually fair skin and curly blonde hair. Her eyes were closed, but when open, they sparkled a brilliant green. For the moment she wore a navy blue robe with a gold neck clasp, her mouth moving slightly as she communed with Thassa, god of the sea.

"I'll wait," Jaina said as she sat on the ground next to her friend. She knew better than to try and interrupt, so she did her least favorite thing in the world: wait patiently.

A minute later... "Jaina! Don't do that!" Sophia yelped when she opened her eyes. She scrambled back in shock and nearly fell into the pond.

"Sorry," Jaina laughed. "Couldn't resist."

"You know it startles me when you just appear after my meditation," Sophia said crossly, folding her arms. Then she broke out into a smile and embraced her friend. "But I forgive you."

"Like always," Jaina smiled back. "Hey, I've got an idea I wanted to run by you."

Sophia settled back on her rock and straightened her robe. "Shoot."

Jaina leaned closer and lowered her voice, even though no one could hear her. "I'm going to ask the headmaster for a quest. Yeah, a real quest. Out there. Beyond the city walls."

"I knew you were gutsy, but wow," Sophia said, looking impressed and concerned. "By Heliod's bright spear...are you sure? It's dangerous..."

"Speaking of Heliod..." Jaina scowled. "I communed with him yesterday and he's still saying that I have to find my strength within, or whatever. He won't grant me any favor yet, so I'll just have to impress him first."

"Hey, I'll stand by you, whatever you do," Sophia assured her. "But don't forget Heliod's wisdom. You have to do this to prove that you've learned something about yourself, not just to show off. Vanity is the downfall of mortals."

"You sound just like him," Jaina grumbled.

Sophia laughed. "Sorry, that's what happens when I talk to Thassa." She got to her feet and tossed her hair. "So, are we going to the headmaster's office?"

Jaina turned and walked off. "Yeah. Let's go."

*o*o*o*o*

The headmaster, an aging bald man with a short white beard, pursed his lips when Jaina made her request in his office. The room's glass-less windows overlooked the Meletis downtown and the sea was visible from here.

"Be sure of what you really want, Jaina," the headmaster warned her. "I know it when students request missions just to show off."

Jaina resisted the urge to argue. Why did everyone say the same things to her?

"Headmaster," Sophia put in, "Jaina explained her intentions to me, and I believe they're just. She seeks internal growth. Heliod's light is with her."

"Indeed?" The old man turned to look out the windows, hands held behind his back. "I remember when I took such missions in the wilds..." He turned back to face the girls. "Some never return from these quests, especially in these times. Danger is spreading across Theros like I've never seen before. The Shadow League -"

"I can take care of them," Jaina blurted, then clapped a hand over her mouth to shut herself up. She knew about the Shadow League: a cult of madmen who worshiped Erebos, the god of the dead. Recently, they had become more active than ever, spreading terror and death while expanding their numbers. Steeped in black mana and forbidden power, the cultists believed themselves masters of Theros... and they were more right about it each day.

The headmaster whirled to face Jaina and Sophia, studying them with his sharp eyes. Neither girl dared move. Then, the headmaster relaxed and said, "Let me think about this. In the meantime, go to the south wall in the agora to meet some of my officials. Bring Petros with you."

Jaina couldn't hide her disappointment this time; she groaned aloud at the thought of bringing Petros, a skilled archer here at the academy, with her. "Headmaster, why...?"

"I told you what to do, Jaina," the headmaster said flatly. "I am allowing you to bring your friend with you, but I have the final say. Find Petros and have him come with you."

Jaina was still annoyed but knew better than to argue. "Yes, headmaster."

"Oh, and Jaina..." the headmaster added with a wink. "Do try not to kill anyone."

"Yes, headmaster," Jaina repeated. _Just how bloodthirsty does he think I am?_

*o*o*o*o*

Jaina and Sophia found Petros were he usually was: the outdoor practice field on the academy's eastern grounds. The warm Theros sun glared overhead in the cloudless sky as trainees wrestled, clashed with swords, practiced battle magic, and shot arrows into dummy targets. From here, Jaina could hear the distant battle of Meletis citizens in the streets beyond.

"Well well well, it's the two finest ladies in the academy," drawled Petros as he drew back his arrow for another shot. He grinned cockily at the two young women. "Wanna watch? You won't regret it." He released his arrow; the projectile hissed through the air and landed perfectly in the target's kill zone. There were four other arrows there too, proof of Petros' skill.

"Cut the crap," Jaina scowled. "We've got an assignment from the headmaster. Pack up and follow me."

Petros gently set down his bow, then put his hands on his hips and acted hut. "Hey hey, Jaina, is that any way to talk to Meletis' finest archer? I'll have you know..."

"You know, the smooth-talking doesn't always work," Jaina cut him off. She scratched her head. "In fact, it never does."

"Oh, but it does," Petros grinned, folding his arms across his well-built chest. "I know that the ladies watch me with interest. I see it in their eyes."

Jaina hated to admit it, but Petros _was _worth watching. A well-built man of 21 years, Petros stood tall with stylish brown hair and a chiseled jaw. Too bad he was a swine on the inside. If only Jaina knew _why _he was such an oily braggart...

"We really should go," Sophia encouraged Petros. She didn't like him either, but her mediation and negotiation skills far outstripped Jaina's. "We're to report to the agora's south wall to meet a few officials. They'll tell us what we need to do."

"I don't mind a quick trip," Petros shrugged. He picked up his bow again, walked over to the dummy target, and retrieved his arrows. "Let's go, ladies. After you!" He motioned gracefully to the exit gate like a butler.

_You're anything but a gentleman, _Jaina rolled her eyes as she and Jaina led Petros to the crowded agora.

*o*o*o*o*

"They're taking so long," Jaina complained some time later. She, Sophia and Petros loitered in the bustling agora at the appointed place, but no one else joined them. Annoyed, Jaina folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. She was already dressed for a mission, clad in leather armor with her swords sheathed at her belt. It was Jaina's preferred armor; light but durable, allowing her to combine leather padding with speed and evasive movement.

Petros had similar armor, except he had trousers instead of Jaina's battle skirt. He didn't look as annoyed as his companion, though. Every time a pretty girl passed, he'd flash his well-practiced smile and wave, usually earning him a return wave and a giggle.

"Must you?" Sophia groaned the sixth time Petros did this. She wore her usual blue robes and leather sandals.

"Just being friendly," Petros grinned. "Jealous?"

"You wish," Jaina smirked.

Petros opened his mouth to retort, but a sudden commotion stopped him. Angry and panicked shouts caught everyone's attention and Jaina saw at least six armored thugs cornering a jeweler at his cart.

"Hand over the goods! Now!" the biggest man demanded. He hefted a mean-looking sword and poised it at the merchant's exposed throat while the other thugs chuckled.

The other citizens backed off in fear, but Jaina felt a thrill of indignation on the merchant's behalf and strode forward. "That man works hard to make a living," she exclaimed loudly, "and you think you can take it all away?"

"Back off, girl," another thug warned. He held a battle ax in both hands. "Don't do anything stupid."

Jaina felt her blood pounding in her ears. Mr. Loxan, the headmaster, and the others had all taught her the values of honor and justice. Often, justice was violent and hard-won, just as Jaina liked it. She turned to Sophia and Petros. "Back me up. On my signal, okay?"

"Hey! You planning something?" The lead thug turned away from the frightened merchant and raised his sword, a snarl on his face.

Petros' steel-tipped arrow sank into his shoulder.

"Aaaaaargh!" The lead thug howled and stumbled back as he dropped his sword. The other five men charged with their weapons raised and descended on Jaina.

"Illusions! Quick!" Jaina barked.

At the command, Sophia settled into a combat posture, raised her arms, and flooded her hands with ethereal blue mana. Her eyes shone solid blue as she invoked Thassa's mind-alternating magic, and within seconds, four illusion clones of Jaina surrounded the real one. The thugs hesitated, unsure how to deal with this new threat.

"Raaaah!" Jaina leaped into action and whirled her swords through the air. At the same time, the four clones branched off in different directions and swung their imaginary blades at the robbers. The men babbled in confusion and swung back, but as expected, their blades and maces whooshed through empty air. Meanwhile, Jaina took this chance and slashed her left blade across one thug's chest, then kicked him aside.

"Petros! Over there!" Jaina pointed at a pile of crates that provided a good vantage point. Without hesitation, Petros leaped on top of the pile and drew back another arrow.

"That one!" A thug grazed Jaina's arm with his ax and felt it connect with solid human flesh. Since the thugs realized which Jaina was the real one, their minds rejected the phantoms, and the illusory Jainas faded away.

Alarmed, Jaina ducked an ax swing and scooted to the side, but she was too slow to avoid a man's foot. His kick caught Jaina in the stomach and she fell flat on her back.

This time, Sophia didn't need any prompting; she now conjured her white mana and formed a pearly barrier between Jaina and the thugs, buying Jaina enough time to scramble away and get to her feet. She knocked aside one man's sword with one blow, then swept her other blade across his thigh. The man grimaced and fell back, unwilling to fight further.

"Petros!" Jaina pointed at a thug who raised his scimitar for a killing blow. Petros' impeccable aim struck again, and the thug fell back with an arrow in his gut. The other thug, distracted, could do little as Jaina overwhelmed him with a flurry of sword strikes against his leather armor. He dropped his weapons and limped away.

Only one thug remained, a wiry man with two blades, just like Jaina. He leered at her as he circled her, twirling his weapons to intimidate her. "Not bad, girly," he taunted her. "Let's see how you handle me."

Jaina was sure that the city guards were on their way, but she didn't like to leave a job half-done. These thugs had made a big mistake by robbing a merchant in a busy street with her on the watch, and this guy would find that out very soon.

Or so Jaina thought. She let loose with her best two-handed techniques, but for every move she made, the thug matched her with impeccable speed and strength. Jaina felt her arms burning as she strained to break through the man's defenses, but she found herself hard-pressed just to stay in the fight. Twice the man's blades grazed her skin, and a pommel strike sent her reeling.

"Sophia! Petros!" Jaina shouted. _I need help fast! This guy's different from the others._

Sophia hurled a writhing bolt of mind-altering mana that could disorient the thug's mind, but to Jaina's surprise, the man swept it aside with a burst of azure countermagic. Petros tried to land an arrow strike while the man was distracted, but the thug merely ducked it and charged Jaina.

This time, Jaina decided to fight dirty. She crossed her blades in an X shape to block the man's first blow, then raised her knee to strike his groin. It worked; the thug winced and turned beet-red at the blow. Jaina took her chance and broke her blades free, then thrust her right sword at the thug's ribs. The man squirmed out of the way and Jaina's blade cut a narrow path across his skin.

"Bitch!" The thug slashed his own blades through the air at blinding speed and knocked Jaina's aside. Just as fast, Jaina evaded the man's follow-up blows and returned the favor. Sweat poured down her face and her breath came in rapid gasps, but she had sparred with Mr. Loxan too often to fall now. Jaina winced as the thug's left sword cut into her shoulder, but before the man could land another blow, Jaina wrenched his swords aside and left him vulnerable.

At the same moment, Petros positioned himself close to the thug with another arrow drawn. "Put 'em down," the archer demanded. "Nice and easy."

The thug slowly lowered his blades and tossed them aside. Then he broke into a wide grin and clapped. "Well done, everyone."

"Huh?" Jaina stared in shock as the six thugs slowly got to their feet, wincing at their wounds. "What's going on?"

"You passed the test, Jaina," said the lead thug. He sheathed his sword and folded his arms. "We're soldiers affiliated with the academy. The headmaster and Mr. Loxan wanted to test you under real-life conditions where you don't know what will happen. You did well."

One of the bystanders came forward and began applying healing magic to the wounded men. Jaina recognized her as a healer at the academy. "Hold on..." Jaina said slowly. "Someone could have gotten hurt while we fought."

The lead soldier shook his head. "We had a protective enchantment in place around here. No bystander was in danger. The jeweler knew what was coming and graciously agreed to help us with this test."

Jaina couldn't help a grin. "So I can start a quest? With Sophia and Petros?"

"Yes. The headmaster gave me instructions to relay to you," said another soldier as the healer mended his wounds. "But be careful. There's dangerous forces out there, and they won't go easy on you like we did. You could meet your fate out there."

Jaina swallowed and tried to hide her sudden anxiety. "I understand. But I believe that I'm ready."

"Okay." The lead soldier nodded. "The headmaster decided that you should be in charge of the combat team. Sophia will lead the expedition overall. Got it?"

"Uh... okay." Jaina didn't like it, but she had to admit that the man had a point. Sophia's calm, rational thinking would get the group further than Jaina's headstrong battle challenges. Whatever worked.


	3. Chapter 3

**PATH OF ASCENSION**

**by Ulquiorra9000**

**Chapter 3**

"Wait... I just realized what the headmaster was talking about!"

Jaina felt an epiphany flood her mind as she rode a roofless, horse-drawn carriage across Theros' wilderness with several companions. Her mind flashed back to the test battle at the Meletis agora. "When the headmaster said 'try not to kill anyone', I thought he was just joking. But he had arranged that combat test for us and didn't want me to kill his warriors. So he put the idea of mercy into my mind!"

Sophia stared. "What, you just realized that _now_?"

Seated beside Jaina, Petros threw back his head and laughed. "I realized right away what he meant. Good thing you held back, Jaina! Be a shame if you killed the headmaster's enforcers. You're a lucky gal."

Jaina scowled. "I _know_, Petros. That's what I was saying."

The three of them had crammed themselves into a large carriage with two other warriors who had volunteered to come along for the quest. They were both eager young men with crested helmets and wooden shields; one carried a spear, and the other, a scimitar. The one with a spear chuckled nervously. "I heard about that marketplace battle. Wish I had seen it."

"Yeah, you could have seen me in action," Petros gloated. He had his bow in his lap and ran a hand over the smooth, polished wood. "Those chumps couldn't have handled me."

Sophia laughed. "Those 'chumps' were taking it easy on us for our sake. When the real thing comes, Petros, you'd better be ready."

"Oh, really. I had no idea." Petros grinned widely, cocked an arrow, and drew it back. He focused his hawk-like eyes on the branch of a passing tree, a thin stick of wood at least twenty yards away. With a hiss, the arrow bolted through the air and snapped the branch in half.

The other young hoplite gasped. "That's amazing! How'd you learn to shoot like that?"

"Don't encourage him. He'll brag all day," Jaina groaned.

"Well, what can _you _do?" the hoplite challenged her.

Jaina opened her mouth to answer but hesitated. What exactly did she do? She watched the scenery pass as she contemplated an answer. Rolling hills slowly crept past, dotted with conifer trees and bushes. Thick gray clouds drifted overhead, blotting out the sun and promising rain later on. Snowy mountains rose majestically in the distance. _Mountains. The anvils of Purphoros, _Jaina thought, considering how the god of the forge hammered out new creations with flame and passion.

That was it.

"I create things," Jaina said firmly, turning to face the questioning hoplite.

Sophia blinked. "Huh?"

"I create peace," Jaina smiled, looking up at the passing clouds. "With honorable battle, a clash of will on will, I vanquish evil and defend justice and order. I forge righteousness."

"Um..." the other hoplite said blankly.

Jaina looked back down and laughed. "Sorry. I'm just bored, that's all. Plus, it comes from moving to a place like Meletis. I feel pressure to be all philosophical like Sophia."

"I think you're doing just fine," Sophia smiled.

Jaina raised an eyebrow. "Are you patronizing me?"

"No," Sophia said earnestly. "Heliod would approve. I think that what you're doing is a wonderful thing. Much better than when you joined the academy."

The hoplite with the scimitar was intrigued. "What do you mean?"

Jaina grinned; she remembered it all clearly. "I grew up in a forest village until I was sixteen," she explained. "A place of mundane needs and hard work. But it was too cramped for me so I moved to Meletis to join the Reverent Army and train at the academy. Got into a fight on my first day."

Petros stared. "I don't remember that!"

"Because you were probably somewhere else, womanizing," Jaina said snidely.

"Oh yeah," Petros said fondly. "I was."

"Anyway," Jaina pressed on, "I was used to the rules back home: you have a problem, settle it with the other party once and for all. I thought Meletis was full of sissies, and when a trainee mage made fun of me for being a country girl, I tackled her to the floor in front of everybody!"

Both hoplites laughed. "Who was it?" the spear-wielding man asked.

Sophia pointed at herself. "I learned that day to not tease country people."

The scimitar hoplite scooted away from Jaina, as though afraid that she'd tackle him next. "You girls made up?"

"Better," Jaina said. "The next day, Sophia put an illusion on me so when I went into the girls' locker room and got undressed, I realized that I was actually in the headmaster's office. With him watching."

Everyone burst into laughter.

"I-I'm sorry, Jaina, but that's brilliant," the spear hoplite choked while Sophia made a sheepish grin.

"I wanted to respond in a way that she'd appreciate," Sophia shrugged. "I think it worked. We called a truce, then became friends. Somehow."

"Good thing, too," Jaina added. "She never has any fun. I taught her the value of unwinding, and in return, she keeps me in check."

"I try, anyway," Sophia smiled.

A few minutes later, the carriage driver said over his shoulder, "High Rock is coming up. Sophia, what's your call?"

High Rock was a small, walled polis situated on a rocky area. "Let's spend a few days there to search for leads," Sophia decided. "The people there are active traders with local towns and garrisons. They could help us track down nearby Shadow League members."

Jaina liked it; she wanted nothing more than to bash a few Shadow League goons, and if the traders and journeymen at High Rock could help, then High Rock it would be.

*o*o*o*o*

To Jaina's eyes, High Rock was Meletis in miniature. A few armored guards at the front gates demanded to know Sophia's business, then checked the carriage and its passengers with eyes and magic alike. Once Jaina and the others were cleared, they found themselves rolling down a narrow but well-lit agora. Crowds of citizens babbled in the streets and carriages creaked along the roads like Jaina's.

Right away, Sophia ordered the carriage driver to park his vehicle, then led her party through High Rock to hunt down leads on the Shadow League. Pretty soon, Jaina got the gist of these people's attitude about the League: they felt very secure about themselves ever since the last intrusion. These walls had endured angry minotaur raiders and a few ambitious cyclops marauders, and a number of protective enchantments ensured that no more Shadow League infiltration parties could possibly get through.

"What do you think, Sophia?" Jaina asked uncertainly, two hours later. The five of them wandered down the agora's brick road, drawing closer to a large, domed building up ahead. They were already in its shadow.

Sophia, who had just bought bread rolls for everyone at a vendor, passed out the snacks and smiled. "I guess these people can't help us. As far as they're concerned, the Shadow League is a threat entirely outside their walls. Only internal affairs matter to them now."

Jaina swallowed a hunk of bread and widened her eyes. "What, you're happy about that?"

"Sorry," Sophia admitted, pointing at the looming structure. "It's just that I'm excited to go in there!"

"A library?" Petros frowned with distaste as the building's inscriptions came into view.

Sophia darted ahead like an excited child. "Come on!" she called out, waving. "High Rock is known for its arcane library!"

Jaina wasn't much of a mage, but even she knew that Sophia was now in her element. The warm, humid afternoon air became cool and crisp once Jaina and the others swept open the library's double doors and walked inside. Jaina could almost _feel _the subtle, supernatural energy in the air.

A few other people were here, mostly robed old men who studied thick books at the reading stations. A fountain took up the huge, circular room's center; it bubbled not with water, but churning currents of blue and white mana. Like a cloud that had been domesticated and trained to do tricks.

Even the bookshelves glowed with faint auras and the floor seemed to absorb footsteps to maintain the quiet, even though Jaina made no effort to take light steps. Jaina started to feel dumber by the minute; ferocious swordplay and morning workout regimens had no place here.

"Oh, those first!" Sophia muttered eagerly, pointing at a row of scrolls that gave off a faint breeze. The wind smelled faintly like autumn leaves.

Jaina rolled her eyes. "How long are we staying here?"

"Not long," Sophia assured her. "We'll resume looking for leads on the Shadow League before sunset."

"The Shadow League?"

From behind a thick pillar stepped a man about Jaina's age. Like Petros, he had his dark hair cut short, but unlike the archer, this man had focused, alert eyes and a firm mouth. He wore a simple chestnut-colored jacket over his white shirt, and he had black pants with matching boots.

Sophia blinked and took a nervous step back. "I didn't say anything..." Behind her, the two Meletis hoplites gripped their weapons tightly, prompting Jaina to do the same. Was this man a League spy?

Jaina's doubts vanished when the man spoke again, however. "My name's Cadoc. I've been hunting them for weeks," he said matter-of-factly. There was a hard edge to his voice, but no suppressed anger. "The people here think they're safe, but they're not. Erebos gives those League goons all kinds of secrets and mysterious power, and I'd bet my right arm that they send a party here tonight."

Jaina looked around. "A library?"

"Not just any library," Cadoc reminded her with a small grin. "An arcane library, stocked with mystic knowledge passed down by Heliod and Thassa. There's even a secure vault here with very valuable secrets and items that visitors aren't allowed to go near. I think the nearby Shadow League cell wants to steal everything in there, and I'm going to stop them."

"What, by yourself?" Petros sneered, folding his arms.

"I might not have to," Cadoc said. "I don't think you guys are ordinary library patrons, now are you?"

"No," Jaina plowed ahead before Sophia could speak. "We were sent here by the Reverent Army to find and take out any Shadow League cells that we can. It's a test of our abilities."

Sophia shot her friend a warning look, but Jaina shook her head. "He might be useful," Jaina defended herself.

Cadoc looked interested. "I was thinking that about _you_. So what can you people do? Are you good at fighting?"

"Ever seen a master archer who blew your mind?" Petros put in. "I'm a few steps above that."

"And there's the braggart of the group," Jaina grouched, jabbing her thumb at Petros. "I'm a sword fighter, and my friend's a battle-wise mage. The other guys are Army hoplites. And we're all interested in helping you catch these guys tonight. Why hunt them down when they can come to us?"

Sophia frowned at Jaina's hijacking of the conversation, but then again, Jaina _was _the appointed battle leader for the group, so she merely listened as Cadoc agreed. "We'll cover all possible entrances to the library," Cadoc explained. "With six of us, it should be easy. I'm not certain, but based on my recent tracking, we should see a party of about ten grays with the pack master."

"Huh?" a hoplite blurted.

"Basic soldiers of the Shadow League," Cadoc grinned. "You didn't know? Look, the League relies on its grays to do the grunt work. They're men and women in gray cloaks who use ordinary weapons with extraordinary skill, and always operate in groups. The pack masters lead groups of grays and use pretty advanced magic, and they know a fair bit about the League's long-term plans and secrets. Capturing a pack master would do us a lot of good."

All this intrigued Jaina, so she had no complaints when Cadoc advised them to begin the vigil right away. This meant huddling in a library's shadows for hours on end, watching for cloaked intruders, but Sophia's mind magic confirmed that Cadoc was being honest with them. Might as well go with the plan.

"Jaina, cover the front doors with me," Cadoc said once the others were posted by other entrances. "Prepare those swords of yours."

Jaina felt a lurch of excitement as she walked to the front double doors with Cadoc. "You bet."


	4. Chapter 4

**PATH OF ASCENSION**

**by Ulquiorra9000**

**Chapter 4**

The library staff didn't appreciate having armed guests standing around the main room, so both Jaina and Cadoc instead posted themselves out on the library's front steps. There, Jaina leaned against a pillar and watched over High Rock as the sun sank into evening. At first Jaina felt tense and alert, but after some time, she began to relax. Cadoc, too, didn't seem to find anyone dangerous nearby so he walked over to the marketplace and brought back a light dinner.

"Thanks," Jaina said as she accepted a three-meat sandwich and bit into it. She had to admit, this little polis had some great food.

"Just don't let your guard down," Cadoc warned her as he bit into his sandwich. "The Shadow League is more active at night, and it's nearly sundown." As he spoke, enchanted lanterns started to flare to life along the agora and windows lit up in people's homes. Cadoc looked more alert at the sight, but Jaina thought the urban landscape looked very pretty.

As the sun retreated below the city wall, Jaina cleared her throat and asked, "So, where do you come from? Who are you, really?" She had been burning to ask for a while now.

Cadoc made a thoughtful expression and looked over at his fellow watchman. "Funny, people don't usually ask. They just want to know how much help I'll be to them, and I do the same to them."

"If you don't want to tell me, that's okay."

"I didn't mean it like that." Cadoc hesitated for a few seconds, then: "I'm here because I screwed up."

Jaina made a sympathetic noise. "I'm sorry."

"The Shadow League assassinated the mayor of my home town and his staff. I was the head of the guard force," Cadoc said bitterly. "I was asked to help keep the mayor's oracles safe, but I was tricked and Shadow League mages broke in and kidnapped them. Then the mayor and his staff were killed as the League mages fought their way out."

"That's horrible," Jaina said sympathetically. Then she realized something and rushed to Cadoc's defense. "But you said you were tricked," she said. "You can't blame yourself. Who could have possibly -"

"It was my job," Cadoc said sternly, "and I failed. I was exiled and left to my own devices, so now I make sure to interfere with the League's activities."

"No one else will hire you?" Jaina asked.

Cadoc shrugged. "I figured out that staying mobile is the best way to keep up with the League. I can't wait for them to come to me, so I'm now a free agent. I do whatever I need to do."

"Then join me," Jaina offered. "I'm on a quest from my academy in Meletis to fight the Shadow League, and I need strong people on my team. Neither of us can undo what happened back then, so focus on what we can do now."

Cadoc folded his arms and gave Jaina a calculating look in the twilight. "You want _me _on your team?"

"Yeah, I do." Jaina also folded her arms and wheeled around to face Cadoc. "You're not some mercenary, Cadoc. You've got the _will _to do what I'm asking. The Shadow League made a fool of you, and now you're determined to pay them back. I like that."

"What..." Cadoc opened his mouth to reply, then burst out laughing in spite of himself. "You want me in your party? I've never been asked to join a merry band of warriors like yours before! What's it like?"

"Join me and find out," Jaina grinned. "But promise me something first."

"What?"

"That you'll forgive yourself."

Cadoc stopped laughing. "I'm not sure if I can."

"Oh, I think you can. You don't have to let go of your anger, but the guilt wounds your soul. At least, that's the kind of thing Heliod tells me."

"Right, the sun god. Did he happen to tell you where to find all the Shadow League leaders, too?"

Jaina shrugged. "Sorry, no luck. But come on, Cadoc... let it all go, and join me. I think I'll need your help. Sophia and Petros and I can't do everything!"

For a minute Cadoc looked out at the cityscape. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"Well... we'll see," Cadoc conceded. "If you and the others prove your worth."

"Got high standards, have you?"

"I see everything in terms of usefulness. Best way to fight the Shadow League," Cadoc admitted, running a hand through his hair. "Doesn't leave me much time for friendships."

Jaina blinked. "What, no friends?"

"I just do what I can, where I can."

"That settles it." Jaina walked over and clapped Cadoc on the shoulder once. "Before this quest is over, you'll get a friend. Either me or Sophia or someone. I think you need it."

"Do you?" Cadoc said testily.

Now Jaina was the one who laughed. "Don't take yourself so seriously! Relax. I mean business, but strong bonds are what bring people together. You don't have to do all this alone."

"You're one odd gal, you know that?" Cadoc said, amused.

Jaina put her hands on her hips. "You'd better mean that as a compliment!"

"I do, I do!" Cadoc said hastily.

Satisfied, Jaina smiled and returned to her post, feeling much warmer toward Cadoc. _He's all right, really, once he sets his mind to something, _she thought. She liked that in people; the burning will to excel or at least get something done. And Cadoc definitely had that in him... and he wasn't bad-looking, either.

_Maybe tomorrow we can spend some time in the agora before we leave, _Jaina thought giddily. _Find some neat stuff to talk about and..._

A piercing scream burst from the arcane library's interior.

"Let's go!" Cadoc kicked open the arcane library's double doors and sprinted into the vast central room, Jaina taking up the rear. He skidded to a halt when he saw the library's staff standing in a tight bundle, surrounded by at least fifteen people in gray cloaks.

_The Shadow League! These must be the grays that Cadoc mentioned, _Jaina realized. Each gray had his or her hood up and wore a gold, skull-like mask, and even had on leather gloves. Only the eye holes in their masks revealed that they were mortal beings.

"Stop right there!" Another member of the group, a tall person with a jet-black cloak, walked onto the scene. He too had gloves, a hood, and a mask. "One more move and they all die."

Jaina froze. What did she do now? She'd been trained for various combat scenarios back at Meletis, but nothing had prepared her for a hostage situation like this. Meanwhile, Sophia, Petros, and the two hoplites rushed onto the scene from the other entrances, but they too froze at the sight of the hostages.

"What do you want?" Sophia demanded.

"The secrets of this place," the black-cloaked person, the pack master, answered. "Powerful information that we can use. And I want it now."

"It's not for you," an elderly staff member protested. "Our archives are meant only for meditative -"

"Shut up!" The pack master caught the old man's temple with a quick punch and raised his voice. "So which one of you can open this library's vault? Who can lower the protective enchantments? Tell me!"

A woman in red robes slowly raised her hand. "I can do it," she said shakily. "But please... don't hurt me."

The pack master backed up a few steps, raised his hand, and conjured blue lightning at his finger. "Get moving," he growled. "Everyone else, stay where you are."

_How did they get past us? _Jaina's mind worked to find an answer, but she couldn't think of one. Obviously the Shadow League members hadn't just wandered in through a doorway. Maybe they had used a mass teleport spell? Could be, but such things were tricky and few people could do them.

Jaina felt helpless as she watched the trembling woman lead the pack master across the room and toward the vault at the back. There was no way she could attack without getting those people killed! Heliod would never approve of it. Victory couldn't be bought with innocent blood.

Cadoc, too, looked stymied. He just glared at the grays with fury. Meanwhile, the grays chuckled smugly as they kept their swords, knives, and morning stars pointed at the hostages.

However, Sophia looked calm, even serene. She closed her eyes and slowly raised her arms.

"Hey. Blue robe girl," a gray warned. "Put your arms down and step back. No funny business."

Sophia complied, but as soon as she lowered her arm, a loud series of popping noises filled the room. Blue and white mana flared from Sophia's body and Jaina felt her skin tingle as magic flooded the room. _Way to go, Sophia!_

Suddenly, there were four times as many hostages. Dozens of robed library staff members stood clustered with the grays, and the Shadow League warriors babbled in confusion. Who was solid and who was illusion?

Cadoc got the hint. "Attack!" he howled.

A few of the grays swung their swords through nearby library staff members, but their metal blades passed harmlessly through the incorporeal beings and that bought Jaina and the others enough time to attack.

Standing in front of a bookshelf, Petros drew back an arrow, narrowed his eyes, and released his deadly projectile. The arrow sank deep into a gray's back and the man dropped his knife with a shriek of pain. He stumbled forward a few steps, then collapsed face-first onto the tiled floor.

Jaina and the hoplites charged the confused grays with weapons held high, but Cadoc had no weapons of his own. Instead, he lowered his posture and conjured a blinding helix of red and white mana. Two jets of mana, one crimson and one pearly white, whirled around each other like water in a vortex. Then, in a searing flash, the helix shot through the air and tore through two grays in an instant. Both robed figures evaporated into clouds of flesh-colored mist.

_Battle magic! _Jaina had seen mages at the Meletis academy use various colors of mana during sparring sessions, but she had never seen anything like that before. Encouraged, Jaina leaped into the fray and crossed swords with a burly gray. Over and over Jaina slashed at the man, each blow parried by his weapon. Jaina didn't back off; she pressed her attack and forced the man to take a few steps back, and she saw alarm in his eyes at the ferocity of her attack.

Another of Petros' arrows whistled through the air, and now the grays numbered eleven. The two hoplites kept their foes at bay with their weapons while Cadoc's magic and Sophia's barriers kept them safe. Meanwhile, Jaina scored a glancing blow on her opponent's shoulder and saw red blood seep into the fabric. _I've nearly got him!_

"Enough!" a voice roared. The pack master threw aside the red-robed woman and stomped onto the scene. He no longer had a minor lightning spell on his finger; now, a sizzling storm of blue electricity raged around him like a halo. With a sweep of his arms, the pack master lashed out with several tendrils of lightning.

One of them tore through several library patrons and dispelled them; they were merely illusions. Then, another bolt caught a man in the chest and filled the air with burning flesh. He was a real one, and he collapsed to the floor, dead.

Jaina felt her heart clench. _No! _She couldn't let the innocent bystanders come to harm, not when she was around! Furious, Jaina wrenched her opponent's sword aside with a mighty thrust of her dual blades, but in her anger, she got sloppy. The gray kicked Jaina's thigh to stun her, then pressed his advantage and brought his blade back into position. The weapon's sharp edge cut across Jaina's midriff, right through her leather armor and into flesh.

Pain and blood seeped from the wound as Jaina stumbled back, numb with shock. She clenched her swords tightly to avoid dropping them, but the weapons felt heavy and the gray was now advancing on her. _Focus... get in the defensive position. Raise your swords! _Mr. Loxan's drilling sessions flashed through Jaina's mind and she struggled to obey them. Her swords slowly climbed upward...

An arrow punched through the gray's throat and he gurgled blood from under his mask. His sword clattered to the floor, then he pitched face-first like a statue and sprawled on the floor. Jaina clearly saw Petros standing across the library, his expression grim. "Th-thanks," Jaina mumbled weakly.

"I've got your back," Petros declared boldly. He reached into his quiver for another arrow. "Just keep them busy and... aaaaaargh!"

The pack master's lightning struck Petros in his gut and he was lifted off his feet, then thrown back into a bookshelf. Heavy books piled onto Petros as he crumpled weakly to the floor, smoke pouring from his leather armor and flesh alike.

"P... Petros!" Jaina wailed. She winced as she slowly made her way across the battlefield, her eyes fixed on the fallen archer. She wasn't terribly fond of him, but she needed his help against the Shadow League. But she was too slow; three grays intercepted her with weapons drawn and their eyes fixed on her with bloodlust.

A whirling, blinding helix of red and white mana roared across the battlefield. The three grays shrieked as Cadoc's battle magic evaporated them, weapons falling to the floor. At the same time, Sophia waved her arms and conjured wall of barriers between her fellows and the grays in order to shield them from the grays' weapons. Jaina limped over to Cadoc and the hoplites, wishing that she knew a good healing spell. "What's the plan?"

"We take out the leader," Cadoc growled. He glared at the black-robed pack master through Sophia's shimmering barrier. "Then the grays will scatter. They'll stand no chance against us."

"I heard that," the pack master said coldly. He sent a web of lightning at his foes, but the sizzling bolts simply washed harmlessly across the pearly barriers. So, the pack master whirled around on the spot and vanished in a puff of black and blue mana.

Jaina stared. "Whoa!" _So he really can use teleport magic!_

The grays backed off and kept their weapons pointed at the library staff, illusion and real alike. Meanwhile, the pack master re-appeared in another flash of mana, positioning himself right next to Cadoc and the hoplites. Another surge of lightning radiated from the pack master, and this time his lightning hit home.

The two hoplites were thrown across the floor with electricity crackling on their bodies, while Cadoc barely defended himself with his own mana. Cadoc's mana helix struggled against the lighting for a few seconds, and then the two magical attacks canceled out and exploded. Both Cadoc and the pack master drew back, unwilling to be caught in the blast.

"Insolent children," the pack master snarled. A jet of lightning caught Sophia in the chest, too fast for the young woman to defend herself against. Sophia yelped and sank to her knees, temporarily unable to conjure her magic while the lightning coursed through her.

_I've got to do something, _Jaina realized as the pack master dueled Cadoc once again. She felt her heart hammering in her chest and realized how much blood was leaking from her wound. With shaking hands, she raised her swords and prepared to swing them down on the pack master's exposed back.

Too slow. Before Jaina could make a move, the pack master dodged one of Cadoc's helixes and returned fire with a fierce jet of lightning. Once again Cadoc was thrown to the ground, and he was unable to make a move as the pack master turned on Jaina.

Then, a single lightning-infused punch from the pack master caught Jaina on the temple and she felt herself limply fall flat on her back.

Without a word, the pack master approached Jaina, drew back his fist, and conjured a web of lightning on his knuckles. Jaina couldn't see the man's face but she was sure that he was grinning his head off.

Defiant anger flared in Jaina's gut. She gasped for breath and slowly raised her swords again, determined to impale the pack master and teach him a lesson. But the lightning strikes had slackened her muscles and she felt like lead weights had been tied to her arms. If only there was a way...!

A brilliant white barrier popped into existence between Jaina and the pack master like a tarp. Shock filled the pack master's eyes as his lightning punch bounced off the wall of white mana, and Cadoc wasted no time in catching the pack master from behind with a small mana helix.

Whirling around, the pack master met Cadoc's next magical blow with his own and the two mages strained against each other while sparks flew through the air. Meanwhile, from far across the battlefield, Sophia called, "Jaina! Now's your chance!"

The protective barrier vanished and Jaina leaped to her feet, her injuries forgotten. She stomped across the battlefield, raised her right blade, and ran it through the pack master from behind.

"You...!" The pack master whirled around to face Jaina just as the other sword flashed through the air. Jaina's left sword ran through the pack master's heart and the man jolted as though shocked. His eyes glared at Jaina through the eye holes in his mask, and then the light faded from his eyes. The robed man slumped to the floor, inert.

Jaina wrenched her swords out of the pack master's body, tossed them aside, and fell to her knees. She gasped as the pain came flooding back; adrenaline had kept her going for a while, but now her body was exhausted. At the same time, the last of Sophia's barriers vanished and the grays now pointed their weapons at Jaina's party as a warning.

Cadoc hurled a mana helix at the floor as warning, and the blast of red and white mana was enough to scare off the grays. They tore through the library's exits and left a ringing silence behind them.

Sophia's illusions faded as the library staff members came rushing over. "Are you all right?" one woman asked, her eyes wide.

"I'll get the town guards. They've got medical mages," a man said tightly, and he ran off to get help.

The hoplites dug up Petros from under all the books and the archer examined the slain library staff member before coming over. "Nothing we can do for him," Petros said, uncharacteristically grim. "Nothing we could have done. But the others seem okay, and the library's secret vault wasn't broken into. We won."

Jaina felt cold inside. "Someone died under my watch," she breathed. She looked over at the dead robed man. "I wasn't good enough."

"Stop it." Cadoc knelt by Jaina and gripped her shoulders. "We killed a pack master, and like your archer said, he didn't get what he came for. The Shadow League fights rough, Jaina. Better get used to it."

"Yeah." Jaina swallowed. "I guess you're right. But I can't let this happen again! Cadoc, I was weak. I thought I was ready for this, but..." She felt disgusted with herself. Earlier, she had imagined a quest as little more than a glory trip, but the reality was deadly and frightening. _How could I be so naïve?_

Cadoc gently shook Jaina's shoulders. "Why don't we rest and recuperate, then be on our way tomorrow? I'd like to accept your offer to join your party. We'd make a fine team."

Jaina sighed. "Fine. Hey, hoplites."

Though injured by lightning, the two hoplites hobbled obediently over to Jaina. "What do you need?" asked the one with the spear.

"Sorry if I never caught you guys' names. You really helped against the grays out there, and I wanted to thank you."

"I appreciate it. My name's Daxis," said the one with the spear.

"Lagro," said the one with the scimitar. "Whatever happens next, Jaina, we'll have your back."

Jaina managed a weak smile. "Thanks, guys."


	5. Chapter 5

**PATH OF ASCENSION**

**by Ulquiorra9000**

**Chapter 5**

For the next few days on the road, the battle at High Rock remained the only exciting part of Jaina's quest. The initial thrill of fighting the Shadow League in person faded and was replaced by monotony. The Theros countryside rolled by as Jaina's large carriage trekked along the roads, but no one in the party, not even Sophia, could find another clue to the Shadow League's whereabouts.

There were still some interesting sights to see, though. Being citizens of Meletis, Jaina and Sophia were both new to the wilds of Theros, and Jaina loved spotting new beasts. The day after leaving High Rock, Jaina spotted a chimera gliding lazily overhead, and the sight of it amazed her. The creature had the sturdy body of a goat, the heads of a lion and ram, the wings of an eagle, and the tail of some giant lizard.

"Oh yeah, you get a lot of those when you spend all your time on the move," Cadoc had said dismissively as the chimera's lion head yawned widely overhead. "But they don't really bother you unless you mess with them first."

Other than chimeras, Jaina also found small groups of human hunters, burly men and women who took down wild game with huge bows and carried dead boars and deers slung over their shoulders. Three days after leaving High Rock, Jaina also saw a gang of cackling satyrs in the distance, sneaking into a farmer's vegetable patch with empty pouches in hand. Just for fun, Petros shot an arrow right past a satyr's nose, and like frightened deer, the satyrs scattered and retreated into the nearby forest. Everyone got a a good laugh out of that.

Food was easy enough to get. Plenty of wild fruits and vegetables could be found, and Petros took down a deer for meat early in the trek. Streams provided water and dry tinder in forests allowed for campfires, but still, Jaina longed for real cuisine, not hunter food. Already, she longed for the soft beds and rich meals back at the Meletis warrior academy.

"Please tell me there's a polis up ahead, or at least a decent town," Jaina groaned on the fifth day. She reclined in her carriage's seat, feeling a little drowsy as the warm sun beat down on her. "Cadoc, is there anything down this road?"

Cadoc checked the carriage's surroundings, then nodded. "Yes, in fact. There's a town up ahead. We should get there by evening. It's a trade town, so it's a good place to find news. Like on Shadow League activity."

"Great. I'm itching for action," Petros said eagerly. He massaged his bow's polished, flexible wood. "I came here to get some _work _done."

"Me too," Lagro added. He patted the pommel of his scimitar.

"Do you have any connections at this town, by any chance?" Jaina asked Cadoc.

Cadoc nodded. "I've been there a few times. I know the innkeeper and a few merchants, so we should be set. Just follow my lead, okay?"

"I can do that," Jaina smiled. "Sure is handy having you with us."

"I do what I can," Cadoc shrugged.

Jaina swatted Cadoc's shoulder. "Buck up. You're great! Help us catch some bad guys, and be proud you're making a difference."

Cadoc grinned in spite of himself. "Will do. I've got admit, it's good to be part of a team. I really think we've got a chance here."

"Great," Jaina said, satisfied. She admired those who had dedication and pride for their work, and Cadoc was no exception. His professionalism was contagious, and Jaina felt inspired to push herself further now that he was around.

Petros looked annoyed. "What, Cadoc's the leader now?"

"That bothers you?" Jaina challenged him. Petros just _had _to complain...

"Only for finding leads," Sophia cut in smoothly. "We all have a job to do, Petros, and this is Cadoc's. The rest of us will have plenty to do once we find another Shadow League cell."

"That's only the start," Cadoc warned everyone. "The real goal here is to find a major leader in the Shadow League, someone who's running their operations in a large area. That okay with you, Sophia?"

Sophia picked at a spot on her blue robes. "I suppose so. Cut off the head, and the body follows, like they say."

"Just leave it to me," Petros joked. He pretended to draw an arrow on his bow.

"True. Archers are useful," Cadoc said. "So what got you into archery, Petros?"

Petros puffed up his chest. "My big brother became a phalanx commander a few years back and my sister's a big-time philosopher, so I had to catch up somehow. Chose archery and never looked back!"

Jaina wasn't certain, but she thought she heard a slightly bitter note in Petros' voice. But she was never great at reading people anyway.

Cadoc settled back in his seat. "Works for me."

*o*o*o*o*

By evening, the carriage reached the town as Cadoc promised, but there was a minor issue first. A wide gate barred the dirt road and thick forests lined the road, forcing the carriage to stop before the gate and its four armed guards.

"Whoa are you, and what's your business?" one guard demanded, an older man with a black beard. He gripped the handle of his sword.

"We represent the Reverent Army of Meletis," Sophia explained calmly. "We are pursuing leads on the Shadow League in order to disrupt their operations."

The guard grunted. "Gods know that we could use a break from those bastards."

"So you know where to find them?" Jaina blurted.

"I'm not the one to ask. I just guard this gate," the man shook his head. He pointed at the carriage and told his men, "Search it."

"Hey, hey, is that necessary?" Petros whined as the other three guards checked every square inch of the carriage, including the compartment that had everyone's toiletries and spare clothes.

The guard captain put his gloved hands on his hips. "Maybe pampered Meletis folk like you don't know it, but out here we gotta deal with bandits, Shadow League agents, satyrs, and general criminals and thugs. Now, everyone out of the carriage so we can search you."

Jaina didn't like having a guard frisking her from head to toe, but Sophia gave her a quick look that clearly said _don't cause a fuss_. So, after the frisking, Jaina and the others got back into the carriage and finally entered the town.

Already, the place looked different from Meletis and High Rock. The town didn't have a giant wall like Meletis, just a few wooden guard towers along the outskirts. Forests acted as a natural barrier, and none of the brick-and-mortar buildings were taller than three stories. Still, there was a crowded agora, and colorful banners hung from the rooftops to add a little flair to the simple town.

Unsurprisingly, a lot of cargo wagons came in and out of the town and it seemed like half the space here was devoted to vendors, warehouses, and supply shops. It seemed like the only visitors were merchants who came in, conducted business, and left again. That meant that a lot of news and gossip came and went, so like Cadoc had explained, this was a good place for news.

After borrowing some space to park the carriage, Sophia split the team into two; she, Jaina and Petros went one way while Cadoc led Daxis and Largo to the other side of town. Both sides agreed to meet at the carriage later to share information.

"No offense, but I wouldn't want to live here," Petros remarked as he and the girls checked the place out. "What a dump."

Sophia made a face. "That's rude. Don't act so pretentious."

Jaina elbowed her friend. "Come on, you know Meletis is better. Remember the bath houses?"

"I... well, yeah," Sophia conceded with a small grin. Both she and Jaina had often visited the luxurious public bath houses together in downtown Meletis, where a person could relax in cool, deep water and get snacks and wine from uniformed waiters. Academy students even got a discount on the rather high entry fee. Luckily, the baths were separated by gender, so Petros never got a chance to ogle at Jaina and Sophia while they bathed. At least, not as far as Jaina knew. Petros was sneaky...

A few passing merchants knew about the Shadow League, but Sophia couldn't get any solid leads yet. All she got was that Shadow League spies used to come through this town a lot, but the town guards learned how to track them and now the Shadow League kept its distance from here.

"Oh look, a temple," Sophia said happily as a modest but well-maintained temple came into view. It was only one story high, but had the same wide stone steps and elaborate columns as any other place of worship. Jaina knew better than to keep Sophia away from her passion, so she let Sophia lead the party into the little temple.

They weren't alone. A girl, about seventeen years old, knelt before a tray of smoking incense and was surrounded by a faint aura of humming blue mana. Her half-closed eyes shone sky-blue, and Jaina realized that the girl was deep into an oracular trance. She had seen Sophia like this before.

"Move it," a voice said from behind. Jaina moved aside, and a man a few years her senior shouldered past and knelt by the girl. He had his brown hair in a ponytail and had a short beard. And although he wore ordinary clothes, but Jaina could sense a warrior's aura about him.

A minute later, the girl finished her work and opened her eyes. "I've got it," she muttered, then whispered something into the young man's ear. The man nodded, clapped the girl affectionately on the shoulder, and got up to leave.

"Oh. Hello," the girl said. "New here?"

"Yeah. Just passing through," Jaina said.

"Like everyone else," the man commented. Without another word, he marched past Jaina and down the temple's steps, merging into the crowds.

The girl watched him go. "Sorry about that," she said as she got to her sandaled feet. "He's really focused on his work, and I help him out with my visions."

"It's nice to meet you," Sophia said brightly. "How long have you been an oracle?"

"Just a few years," the girl admitted. "My name's Chari. My gift manifested when I was fourteen. But I'm not strong enough to join any of the big temples, so I help out the townsfolk against raids. I can predict them."

"Your brother's part of the town guard?" Jaina asked. Oracle talk always bored her. Where was the action?

Chari blinked. "Yeah," she said evasively. "It brings in enough money for the family."

Jaina couldn't help but notice the shabbiness of Chari's robes, and remembered seeing a grim look in her brother's eyes when he had left. "Your parents must be proud. That's a lot of responsibility."

"Our parents died in a minotaur raid," Chari admitted. "So my brother and I look out for each other. Works out okay, I guess."

"I'm sorry," Sophia said sympathetically. "Well, it was nice meeting you, but I have work to do. I suppose you do, too."

Chari smiled. "Right. Good-bye." She knelt and closed her eyes.

Jaina expected Sophia to babble about more oracle stuff once the party left the temple, but she was wrong. Instead, Sophia lowered her voice and said, "She was lying."

"What?" Petros blurted.

"That girl's poorly trained. Her visions leaked into my mind," Sophia explained. "Happens sometimes. Anyway, she was predicting the movement of a merchant caravan that's going to come up the south road later this evening. She was predicting the caravan so her brother could help some men raid it."

Jaina stopped. "You're kidding!"

Sophia shook her head, and her curly blonde hair whipped her face. "Her brother's a raider, and that's how he's supporting his sister. She predicts the raids, and he conducts them. It's a symbiotic relationship."

"It's a what?" Jaina scratched her head.

"It's where they help each other out for mutual gain," Petros explained smugly. "What, you didn't know that?"

"Do you want a sword in your gut?" Jaina snapped.

"Anyway," Sophia interrupted loudly, "we should meet with Cadoc and the others. I bet he'll have more news than us."

Jaina followed Sophia and Petros back to the carriage, but she couldn't take her mind off of Chari and her bandit brother. She had never seen the likes of that back in Meletis; here, people resorted to crime and brutality in times of desperation, and Jaina couldn't stand the idea of it. She spoke up. "Sophia, do you think there's anything we can do for Chari and her brother?"

"I don't like it either, Jaina, but it's not what we came for," Sophia said grimly. "Let's stay focused."

*o*o*o*o*

Unfortunately, Cadoc didn't have any news either; apparently this town was a bust, but Cadoc didn't seem too bothered by it. "There's more chances to find leads later," he said confidently. "There's more towns that branch out from this one along the road network. I've had worse info droughts than this one."

"So, do you suggest we get back to it tomorrow?" Sophia asked.

"Right," Cadoc nodded. "We're just getting started."

Sophia clapped her hands together once, and she looked a little cheered up by Cadoc's attitude. "Good. Let's turn in for the night at the inn."

Still thinking about Chari and her bandit brother, Jaina followed Sophia to the three-story inn and said nothing as Sophia rented two rooms for the party. For a moment Jaina felt at a loss. Then, she realized that Heliod was watching her, and she'd be damned if she allowed villainy like banditry to happen while she could do something about it. So, by the time she settled into a room with Sophia and the boys went into their room, Jaina made up her mind. It was time to take matters into her own hands.


	6. Chapter 6

**PATH OF ASCENSION**

**by Ulquiorra9000**

**Chapter 6**

Night was falling fast over the forest town. Jaina waited until Sophia had settled into bed and fallen asleep, then quietly crept across their shared room and opened the door just wide enough to slip out. After gently closing the door, Jaina slowly walked past the boys' room and made sure that no one was moving in there.

Jaina knew that the members of her party would object to this errand, but she was determined to see it done. Then, she went downstairs and back into the open street, swords sheathed at her belt.

Lanterns hung from short poles and were strung across ropes, flooding the town's streets with light. The crowds had thinned out, so Jaina had little trouble making her way to the south end and sneaking through the forest for cover. It seemed that the gates were only to regulate wagon traffic; although thick, the forest allowed a single person to slip right past.

Stars emerged at the opposite horizon and the moon flooded the deserted south road with milky light. Jaina resisted the temptation to feel relaxed by the scene; she was here to stop a bandit raid, not take a nighttime stroll! She could almost see Heliod's face outlined among the stars, watching her.

For a time, Jaina only heard owls hooting and crickets chirping. Then, she heard men's voices shouting in the distance. Jaina felt her heart suddenly race and she tore down the road, mind racing. She'd have to do this carefully, or this could go very wrong. It wasn't easy being a prospective hero!

"...I said, take out all the crates! Now!" barked a familiar voice. As Jaina snuck her way onto the scene, she saw a large merchant wagon that had stopped in the road. Four armored figures surrounded it with swords drawn, and three terrified merchants sat on the wagon, hands raised in surrender. The wagon's two horses snorted and tossed their manes impatiently.

"Y-you don't understand," protested a merchant. "These goods came all the way from Setessa! Our company's fortune depends on this shipment!"

In anger, the outspoken bandit kicked the wagon and shuddered it. "No excuses. Do you want to die out here tonight? Unpack!"

Now Jaina realized who the bandit was: Chari's big brother, the young man from the temple back in town. So here he was, carrying out the planned raid.

"Okay... fine! Just put those swords down," the merchant wailed. Reluctantly, he climbed into the back compartment and heaved a wooden box over the side. It dropped to the dirt road, and hand-crafted goods spilled out.

The bandits chuckled and hooted. "I know some guys who could fence these," said another bandit, a bearded bald man who scooped up the items. He piled them back into the crate. "Next box. Now."

"Stop it." Jaina stepped into plain view with both swords drawn. She realized that all four bandits towered over her, including a woman with dark braided hair, but she tried to make up for it with sheer grit. "I can't allow this. The gods would be ashamed of you."

Chari's brother recoiled. "I saw you at the temple," he realized.

"You know her, Rikko?" asked the bandit woman.

Rikko shook his head. "Naw, just saw her and her friends at the temple. They're drifters."

"Really." The woman approached Jaina, a sneer on her face. "Why don't you go back to town, sweetheart? This ain't any of your business."

Jaina growled in anger. No one looked down on her! She quickly raised her right blade and fixed the point close to the woman's neck. "I'm not playing games, bandit. I've been trained for years at the Reverent Army academy. Just warning you. Thugs like you should know your place."

A second later, Jaina winced on the inside. She came off a bit more hostile than she meant, and the raiders reacted at once. They all rounded on Jaina, weapons raised. "You want to die, little bitch?" the woman snapped. "Back off!"

Things were getting out of hand, so Jaina weighed her options. Negotiation was out; Sophia was better at that anyway. Retreating would make all this work pointless, so that left... fighting. So be it.

Jaina snapped her blade to the side with a flick of her wrist, and the sudden blow knocked the bandit woman's larger sword aside. The woman nearly dropped her weapon and fumbled to recover it.

The other three bandits now moved to surround Jaina, the merchant wagon forgotten. Rikko gripped his sword with both hands and looked like he was forcing himself to do this. "I don't like four on one," he said, "but you forced us. No one at town's going to hear you scream. We'll make this quick."

Jaina grinned. "Go ahead and try."

With a cry, the bald bandit swung his sword. Jaina raised her left blade to block it and marveled at the bandit's strength. She couldn't hold off his strength for long, so she slipped her sword out of the way, ducked, and slashed her right blade at the bandit's thigh. It half-worked; the bandit scampered out of the way, but not before the sword's biting edge drew a shallow cut at least six inches long.

"Lucky hit," the bandit leered as he backed up, putting himself closer to the forest edge. "Let's see you try that – aaaaaaargh!"

A much larger blade sprouted from the dark forest and through the man's belly. The bandit stared down at the red-stained sword in numb shock, then drew a final shuddering gasp and went silent.

Terror clenched Jaina's gut. _What was that? Who... _She got her answer as two massive forms lumbered out of the woods.

Two minotaurs, even bigger and smellier than Jaina ever imagined them, glared at the assembled humans with hunger in their dark eyes. One of them wrenched its giant sword free of the bandit's body and wiped it clean on its thigh fur, then bared its teeth and rumbled deep in its throat.

"Let's get outta here!" the fourth bandit, a man with short brown hair, shouted As he spoke, the merchants riled up their horses and raced toward the town. No one was quick enough to stop them.

The minotaurs made their move on the bandit with short brown hair. One of them, who carried a blunt war club, swished its weapon through the air and caught the bandit in the chest. Like a rag doll, the man was heaved through the air and sprawled to the dirt road. He groaned and stirred feebly.

Now roaring in hunger, the other minotaur charged with its sword held high over its horned head and brought the weapon down with a swish. Rikko and the woman shouted in alarm and scattered; the minotaur's blade sank deep into the dirt instead.

Riled up, the woman bared her teeth and sank her own sword into the minotaur's furry back. The minotaur jerked and snarled, but instead of backing off, it let go of its sword, whirled around, and caught the woman with a terrific punch to the chest. The sword was still sticking out of its back.

"Get him!" the woman wheezed as she, too, crumpled to the ground.

For a second, Rikko froze. He looked back and forth between the two minotaurs as though he could wish them away. Then Jaina raised her voice: "You gonna stand there all night or fight for your life?"

Jaina's words jolted Rikko from his daze. He dashed over to the brown-haired man and helped him up, then motioned for Jaina to join them. Grinning fiercely, Jaina prepared her twin swords and joined them. Even if they had their differences, survival against monsters could bring them together. For a time.

Jaina supposed she shouldn't have been too surprised. Humans weren't the only beings who launched raids and assaults outside the safety of polis walls; for all Jaina knew, these two minotaurs had been stalking the merchant wagon for hours, waiting for it to stop.

With a cry, Rikko led the charge. He swung his sword's silvery edge at the wounded minotaur, cleverly targeting the wounded one first. The other bandit helped him and jabbed his blade at the beast's shoulder, while Jaina kept up the other minotaur's attention. Several quick blows were exchanged in seconds; Rikko and the other bandit wounded their minotaur even further, and beast blood now seeped onto the dirt road. However, the minotaur retaliated with a head-butt that gored the brown-haired bandit with its left horn.

The bandit didn't even have time to cry out. He collapsed to the road, gasping bloodily. The minotaur swept Rikko aside with a hand and stomped on the man's chest with its hoof for the killing blow. Huffing in rage, the minotaur turned to face Rikko once again.

At the same time, Jaina dodged the other minotaur's club and drew her left blade across the beast's chest. The minotaur rumbled in pain as Jaina sliced open its chest, but the blow wasn't nearly deep enough to stop it. The beast forsook its clumsy club and delivered a bone-shuddering punch to Jaina's temple.

Stars popped into Jaina's vision and she felt herself crumple onto the ground like the bandits. Pain numbed her body and she felt her swords roll out of her grip. _Up! Get up! It'll kill you! _Jaina's brain screamed at her body, but the minotaur's blow had stunned her for the moment. She was helpless.

Distantly, as though from far away, Jaina heard a minotaur bellow in agony. Jaina slowly rolled over and saw that the bandit woman had gotten to her feet, and now she had driven her sword through the first minotaur's injured body. The woman shouted in defiance as she wrenched out her sword and drove it into the beast's body again. Finally, with a gurgling cry, the minotaur fell with a thud.

"You okay?" Rikko hurried over to Jaina and offered a sweaty hand. "Come on, say something."

"Th-thanks," Jaina mumbled. With great effort, she took Rikko's hand and let him hoist her to her feet. She shook her head to clear it and scooped up her swords. Somehow, they felt heavier than before.

Rikko watched the minotaur carefully. "All at once, then?"

"Go for the throat," Jaina panted. "Get this over with before someone else dies."

"Suddenly you care so much for mere bandit safety. Feeling noble?"

"We're all human here," Jaina snapped. Was this any time for petty spite? "I didn't want to kill you guys. We'll get back to town and decide what to do there."

"We'll see," Rikko said darkly. He twirled his sword and called out for the woman to help out.

The minotaur didn't wait any longer. It picked up its mace and charged, head lowered to present its horns. Rikko and the woman scattered to the side and swung their own weapons. Rikko grunted as the mace bashed into his sword arm and spun him aside like a toy, but the woman had better luck. She landed a solid blow onto the beast's shoulder with her sword and backed out of harm's way.

Jaina took her chance. She sprang on the distracted minotaur, trying not to smell its breath as it roared in anger from the blow. Jaina ducked the minotaur's horns and stabbed her right sword up to its exposed throat.

Too slow. The minotaur took a heavy step back and shook its head. One of the horns caught Jaina on the side, not the point, but the blunt curve. Still, the blow threw Jaina aside and she thought she felt a few ribs break. She scrambled to stay on her feet, now aware of the pain that pulsed in her side with each heartbeat.

"Damn it!" Rikko cursed again. The minotaur had apparently broken his sword arm with that last blow, since the arm hung limp and Rikko now carried his sword awkwardly in his left hand. He darted to the side and scored a shallow cut on the minotaur's thigh to draw its attention, and the woman pierced the minotaur near the kidneys.

This time the minotaur dropped its weapon and howled from the repeated blows. With blood leaking into its fur, it whirled around and seized the woman's head in a desperate move. It wrenched the woman to the ground, then stomped her chest with a hoof. Jaina could tell from the organic crunching sounds that the woman was finished, just like the other bandits. Now it was just Jaina and Rikko.

"G-get him!" Rikko sputtered as the minotaur bore down on him. He didn't look like he'd last much longer.

An idea popped into Jaina's mind. She dropped her left sword and leaped onto the minotaur's shaggy, bloody back and wrapped her left arm around its thick neck. Confused, the minotaur turned away from Nick and scrabbled at its back. Jaina refused to let go, not even when the minotaur's claws grazed her back.

Furious, the minotaur stumbled back and violently shook from side to side, trying to throw Jaina off. Jaina refused to let go, even when her ribs screamed for mercy and her left arm burned with fatigue. Then, she moved her right sword into position and drew the sharp edge along the minotaur's throat.

The effect was immediate: blood seeped from the wound and the minotaur sagged as though deflated. It groaned, then fell flat on its chest and went still.

Jaina climbed off the beast's back, panting and wheezing. She hobbled over to Rikko with a weak smile. "Got him."

Rikko stared at the minotaur, then back to Jaina. "I guess the gods are with you."

"Not really," Jaina confessed. She massaged her ribs and winced. "That thing made me pay for it. And I'd know if Heliod had granted me favor. He didn't."

"Oh. Okay." Rikko sighed. "So what now?"

"We go back to town," Jaina said firmly. "Get medical attention, then deal with... you know."

Rikko narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Jaina swallowed. "You're a bandit. I have to turn you in. I'm sorry."

"Not on your life!" Rikko awkwardly raised his sword in his left hand, but Jaina knocked it out of his grip with her own weapon.

"You're facing justice," Jaina told him, unable to hide her own sadness. She didn't like seeing Rikko dragged off to jail, but she knew that Heliod was watching. Shed couldn't avoid her duty. "And your sister too. She's a part of this."

Rikko swallowed and growled, "You're really going to do this?"

"I have to." She held her sword at the ready as a warning, to prove that Rikko had no way to fight back.

"Fine." Rikko couldn't hide the fury in his voice. "I guess I can't argue, can I?"

*o*o*o*o*

The healers back in town were only too happy to accept two new patients, but Jaina made sure that town guards secured the building while she and Rikko had their wounds tended to. Half an hour later, Chari was dragged into the medical house too, still in her sleepwear. "Rikko, I..." Chari said weakly, looking terrified.

"You and your brother are going right into jail," the guard captain interrupted. "This lady tells me that you're involved with the bandits." He pointed, and Jaina saw that Sophia had been brought in too.

Rikko's eyes flared. "Don't arrest her too! She didn't do anything!"

"She did," Sophia said flatly. "I sensed her visions. I'm certain of what I saw."

There was no getting out of that. As Rikko and Chari were dragged off, Sophia stood by Jaina's bed and folded her arms. "Why did you get involved?" she demanded. "The guards woke me up and told me that someone in my party had gone off to hunt bandits. They questioned me for ten minutes! I'm not happy about that."

Jaina bristled. "I couldn't let innocent merchants get robbed when I knew what was going to happen!"

"It wasn't our business," Sophia said sternly. "Jaina, what if you'd been killed out there? This isn't a game. People _die _out here. This isn't Meletis."

Jaina opened her mouth to respond but realized that her friend was right. She had been sheltered from the wilds of Theros all her life; not even the farming village where she grew up had suffered any trouble, since Reverent Army had made sure that Meletis' farm towns were well-guarded. But this was different. And Jaina clearly wasn't fully ready for it.

"I guess I lost my head," Jaina mumbled. She felt bitter tears sting her eyes. None of this was fair! She had risked her life to save others, but no one was happy. Two orphans were in jail and Jaina was no closer to gaining Heliod's favor. Not as far as Jaina could tell, anyway.

Sophia softened and knelt by Jaina's bed. "To be honest, I wanted to help too," she admitted. "I don't like this either. But we have to stay focused! The Shadow League's still out there, and we can't stop for every little errand we can think of. As the squad's commander, I need to make this clear."

"Yeah, okay." Jaina thought of Cadoc, who was cool, focused and professional. She felt a little warmer inside thinking of him. "I'll take a leaf out of Cadoc's book. It's just us and the mission."

Sophia smiled, patted Jaina's shoulder, and stood. "That's great," she said warmly. "I'll see you in the morning and we'll head out." She left without another word.


	7. Chapter 7

**PATH OF ASCENSION**

**by Ulquiorra9000**

**Chapter 7**

More than a week had passed since Jaina's encounter with Rikko and the minotaurs, and although Jaina was back on the road, she didn't feel nearly as bored or listless as last time. Now, she couldn't stop thinking about how her heroism had failed to bring the happy ending that she had wanted. In fact, how exactly _could _she have done it? Rikko was a criminal driven by desperation... there was no redemption for him, and even Chari had been guilty.

Everything out here was so different than what Jaina had been led to expect. She realized that she had been naïve, almost childish when she had departed Meletis with grand ideas of heroism in her head. The real world of Theros was more bitter than she had ever thought. Was she really ready for this?

At least the weather was still good. As the carriage rolled east toward the coast, there was little change in the blue skies and fluffy white clouds, and the countryside was still a beauty to behold. A forest stood beyond some hills to the left and a stream burbled on the right. But Jaina didn't think the wilderness was quite as pretty as before.

"We're making good time," Cadoc commented as he saw a fork in the road ahead. He shielded his eyes with one hand and squinted. "Yeah, I know those towns. Get ready, everyone. This could be it."

Jaina knew what he meant. During the last few days, Cadoc had finally picked up a trail to find the Shadow League, and according to him, this coastal area was buzzing with insidious League activity. At least Cadoc was getting some work done, and it boosted Jaina's morale considerably. She smiled. "I'm ready when you are."

"Hey, so am I," Petros said quickly. "I'm the only ranged fighter here. You guys don't know how lucky you are to have my skills."

"And how unlucky we are to have your attitude," Sophia muttered. Jaina grinned and stifled a giggle. Things were looking up, all right.

The carriage's horses slowed to a halt as the driver tugged on the reins. A sign marked the left fork as THERASS, 15 MILES and the right was COATIA, 18 MILES. Other than that, the two dirt roads seemed the same.

"Which one do we take?" Jaina asked Cadoc, scratching her head. "I've never been to these places before."

Cadoc folded his arms and studied the signs for a moment. "I suppose Coatia," he said at last. "Major port town. The Shadow League could infest the place and spread its influence across the whole ocean from there."

"Then it's set," Sophia chimed in. "Driver, take the road to Coatia."

Before the driver could get his horses moving, a dust cloud appeared further down the road leading to Coatia. Jaina squinted; what was making it?

"Hey. Is that..." Daxis started. He leaned over the carriage's edge, his eyes wide.

"It's a Shadow League member!" Lagro finished.

The hoplites were right. The source of the dust cloud came closer and revealed itself as a black-cloaked figure on a horse, racing as fast as the animal could go. The rider had a gold, skull-like mask over his face and a hood over his head, hiding his identity. It was definitely a pack master.

Even more unusually, a single person was tearing down the road, and the figure was actually keeping pace with the horse with inhuman strides. Green mana glowed on the person's legs from the toes to the knee, like knee-high boots.

Cadoc charged up his red-white battle magic and Petros drew back an arrow, but before either man could launch an attack, the pack master rocketed past and flung a lash of black mana at the carriage.

The smell of burnt wood filled Jaina's nostrils as the arcane whip slashed into the carriage's polished wood. The sheer force of the attack threw the carriage onto its right wheels and nearly knocked the whole thing over. Then the carriage slammed back onto all fours, startling the horses. Meanwhile, the pack master rode past and raced down the road to town of Therass.

_By Heliod's bright spear! _Jaina didn't know what to make of this: a horse-mounted pack master ran right past a carriage of armed warriors while a single person kept pace with enchanted legs. Was the pack master running for his life, or was he leading the other person into a trap?

Only one way to find out.

"Hey! Let us help! We're fighting the Shadow League too!" Petros yelled. He stood his seat and waved his armed bow at the runner with the enchanted legs. The runner ignored him and raced past, determined to catch the retreating pack master.

"Sit down!" Sophia snapped, tugging on Petros' pant leg. "Driver, go after that pack master. Now!"

Alarmed, but unwilling to disobey, the carriage driver whipped his horses into action and sent the carriage racing after the pack master.

Jaina tensed as she watched the pack master and runner slowly come closer. Apparently the pack master's horse was getting tired, because both the runner and Jaina's carriage were slowly gaining on it. Still, Jaina saw that the pack master was angling toward the dense forest nearby, where he could easily elude his pursuers.

"Petros, give me an arrow," Cadoc said suddenly.

Petros flinched. "What?"

"Gimme that." Reaching over, Cadoc snatched the arrow from Petros' bow and gripped it tightly in both hands. To Jaina's amazement, Cadoc flooded the bow with shimmering red mana, then tightly wove strands of white mana over the red mana like cords. He gave the arrow back. "Shoot the pack master with it."

"I... oh!" Petros drew back his arrow, closed one eye, and released. With the loud hum of angry mana, the arrow flashed through the air and went much farther than any mundane arrow. For a second, it looked like the pack master would outrun the projectile... but before Jaina's very eyes, the arrow accelerated and pierced the horse's left rear thigh.

With a squeal, the horse stumbled and crashed to the ground. In an instant, the pack master leaped from his wounded mount and scrambled for the safety of the forest.

"Meant to shoot the guy," Petros complained. "Tough to hit a target from that far away..."

"That's good enough. Now we can get him," Cadoc sneered, clenching a fist infused with mana.

The enchanted runner was thinking the same thing. He, or she, tore after the pack master and drew a pair of long knives in the process. The person didn't even wait for Jaina's party to catch up.

"We'll miss the party at this rate," Cadoc noted. "Driver, get us over there!"

The driver snapped his reins and the horses sprinted even faster, delivering the carriage to the scene of battle. The moment the carriage slowed down again, all the warriors leaped out and hurried across the grass toward the waiting forest. The enchanted runner had already gone in and was out of sight.

Underbrush and foliage whipped past as Jaina tore her way through the forest. The air had become cooler and beams of sunlight poked through the leafy canopy overhead. Birds burst from cover and scattered in fright as Jaina's party progressed, but try as she might, Jaina couldn't find the pack master or runner up ahead. Had they already gotten away?

"Let me try something," Cadoc grunted. He drew back a fist and unleashed a fierce jet of flames with a punching motion. Trees and foliage evaporated to reveal the two figures up ahead, and to Jaina's amazement, the runner was now charging right at the pack master. Didn't this person know how dangerous pack masters were up close? It was foolish to fight one alone. The runner would be better off getting reinforcements from the road.

Then, the runner changed Jaina's mind. With a flying kick, the runner swung his or her foot at a tree and snapped it in half. The tree creaked and groaned as it collapsed, and its branches caught the pack master like a net. The black-cloaked figure stumbled and fought to escape the branches.

This time Jaina and the others caught up, and they helped the runner surround the trapped pack master. Jaina drew her swords, Cadoc prepared more magic and Petros drew back another arrow. Even Daxis and Lagro prepared their weapons, unwilling to let the pack master escape.

"This isn't your fight!" the runner cried out.

Jaina started; it was a woman's voice, and the woman sounded sharp and professional, not unlike Cadoc. But Jaina, too, had business with the Shadow League, and she refused to back off at the runner's command.

Meanwhile, the pack master unleashed a black mana whip that tore through the tree that pinned him to the ground. Splinters flew everywhere and the pack master sprang to his feet, eyes blazing behind his skull mask.

Alarmed, Petros released his arrow, only to have it sliced in half by the pack master's whip. Lagro and Daxis charged in with weapons raised, but their foe simply knocked them aside with a lash of his magical weapon.

_He's a tough one, all right, _Jaina thought. But that wasn't going to scare her off. She and Cadoc charged, and a surge of white mana from Cadoc's fists knocked aside the pack master's whip for a few precious seconds. Jaina's swords slashed across the pack master's chest, then the runner woman sent the pack master flying with a mighty kick from behind.

It seemed that the woman's enchantments not only let her run fast, but gave her tremendous kicking power too. The pack master howled in shock until he crashed against a tree trunk and slumped to the ground, inert.

Slowly, cautiously, Jaina and the others approached the pack master, careful to cut off any potential escape routes. The runner woman went first; she knelt by the pack master, checked his pulse, then rolled him over. His chest was torn wide open from Jaina's sword slashes and the trauma of getting kicked.

"He's done for," the woman said. She stood up and put away her knives.

A beam of sunlight allowed Jaina to see the woman clearly for the first time. She was around forty years old with dark blonde hair and brown eyes. She wore a leather vest over a gray shirt, and she wore men's trousers and boots. On her head was a wide-brimmed hat. Overall she dressed not unlike Cadoc, deepening their similarities. Jaina wondered if this woman was also a rogue agent.

"Who are you?" Cadoc asked tensely.

"Who are _you _all?" the woman retorted. She put her hands on her hips. "I'm on a job here, and you people decide to just pitch in?"

"We helped you catch a Shadow League agent," Jaina argued. She got the sinking feeling that thank-yous would be few and far between on this quest.

The woman opened her mouth to answer but paused. Then: "I suppose. As long as you don't steal my bounty. I'm the one to cash him in."

Jaina stared. "You're a bounty hunter?"

"Right." The woman pointed at the pack master. "There's a lot of Shadow League activity around here and this man was headed to Therass. I suspect that there's a League hideout somewhere around there, but for now, I'm taking this man back to my client. He was one of the most visible League agents around here. Been causing a lot of trouble with his pack of grays."

"Did you kill the grays already?" Petros ventured.

"The Coatia town guards and I took care of them, yes," the woman said. "So, what's your interest in all this?"

Honesty was the best policy, in Jaina's opinion. "We represent a task force from Meletis and the Reverent Army," she said. "We've been assigned to fight the Shadow League wherever we find it. Preferably, by crippling their leadership."

The woman considered this. "Enemies of the Shadow League are friends of mine," she said bitterly. "All right, I suppose we're on the same side here. My name is Katrina. I lost my husband and son to the Shadow League, so hunting them is now my whole life. There. Now you know. Thought I'd get that out of the way."

_The League ruined another life, _Jaina realized. Her desire to destroy the League sharpened. "I'll bet you have a lot of tracking and hunting expertise, right?"

"I do," Katrina confirmed.

"Then after you cash in this bounty, you can join me," Jaina offered. "We'd have a better chance fighting the League together. We have a common enemy. You established that yourself."

Katrina glanced at the dead pack master. "I work best alone."

"Would you stand a chance against a trusted one by yourself?" Jaina challenged her. Pack masters were tough enough, but trusted ones, the highest-ranking Shadow League members, would be something else entirely. Word had it that trusted ones wielded the full power of Erebos' favor.

"Jaina..." Sophia cautioned her quietly. "Don't antagonize her."

Katrina stiffened. "A trusted one?"

"I'm not going back home until I find and kill one of them," Jaina said firmly. "That's how I'm going to prove myself. And I could use your help. Unless we take out a leader, the Shadow League will just recover from our attacks."

"That's risky, girl," Katrina warned her. "I've hunted the League for years. I know what they can do."

"All the more reason to bring you along," Jaina insisted. "I didn't leave the safety of Meletis' walls for nothing. This is what I need to do. I'm sure of it."

For a moment both Katrina and Jaina stared each other down. Then a reluctant smile crossed Katrina's face. "I guess I can't talk you out of it," she commented. "All right. Fine. I'll join you and track down a trusted one. I'll admit, I'm curious to see what all you guys can do."

Jaina beamed. "It's a deal. My name is Jaina. And this is Sophia, Petros, Cadoc, Daxis, and Lagro." She pointed to each person in turn.

"I see. You've got a sensible variety of skills among your team members," Katrina noted. "Good. So, I'll just take this pack master back to my client and -"

"Don't bother," Sophia cut in.

Jaina blinked. "Huh?"

Sophia knelt by the dead pack master, probing the flesh with her fingers. She held up a finger; it was coated not in blood, but blue slime. "This is a golem, a magical decoy."

"Impossible." Katrina stared. "No pack master has the power to do that!"

"But a trusted one could," Sophia pointed out. She wiped her finger on the golem's clothes. "But a golem can only last for a few hours before decaying, so the trusted one must be somewhere in this region."

Jaina was intrigued. She had heard of golem magic but never done it herself, or even seen anyone at the Meletis military academy do it. A sufficiently powerful mage can duplicate a person and even give the golem an imitation of the original's behavior and magical abilities, so the real pack master but be nearby. "So how do we find the original?" Jaina asked.

"Thassa's power has infused this entire coast line," Sophia said, a hint of pride in her voice. "It's amplifying my own skills, so I can sense the golem's magic power. I can feel the tug of the original, but it's faint."

Katrina walked over. "Sophia, can you track down the real pack master? If we find him, he can give us intel on the trusted one who created the golem."

Sophia stood and dusted her hands. "I think so. Unless I'm wrong, the real pack master is somewhere around Therass. But I can't specify any more than that."

"Close enough." Katrina whirled around and stalked back toward the road. "Let's go, everyone."

"But I'm the leader..." Sophia mumbled, but she and the others followed Katrina without complaint.

Jaina edged closer to Cadoc while they walked. "Looks like we've got another fighter," she muttered. "Katrina's pretty skilled."

"And her personal loss drives her to fight the League, just like me," Cadoc noted. "That's good."

Jaina watched Katrina's back with distinct sadness. "I know. But she lost her husband and son. That's awful."

"No helping them now," Cadoc shrugged. "Katrina's enchanted legs give us more melee abilities, which is good. Petros and I aren't so good at close range, and you can't be everywhere at once to protect us in a large battle."

"True." Jaina felt heartened by Cadoc's passion and skill against the Shadow League, and she looked up to him as a prominent member of the group. But at the same time, she shivered at his clinical attitude toward others. Did he not even care that Katrina had lost so much? All he wanted was her skills and dedication. Both of them had suffered similarly, but it seemed like Cadoc had no interest in sympathizing.

Maybe that attitude was what it would take to defeat the Shadow League.


	8. Chapter 8

**PATH OF ASCENSION**

**by Ulquiorra9000**

**Chapter 8**

Sophia had the good sense to go back to the golem and remove its mask, the better to see what the pack master's face would look like. She made sure that everyone studied the man's features, then the party set out. And Jaina felt like getting to know Katrina better.

"If I may ask... how did you get your enchanted legs?"

Jaina's curiosity was bubbling up again, and she found Katrina endlessly fascinating. She and the others had climbed back on board the carriage, now with Katrina among their numbers.

Katrina smiled. "I get that a lot."

Jaina hesitated. "So, um..."

"I hunted and captured a dangerous pack master who was kidnapping people in Setessa a few years back," Katrina explained. She folded her arms. "Bastard was kidnapping kids for his experiments with death, but I put a stop to him. The priestesses of Setessa were so grateful, they gave me the grace of Nylea. Pretty nice thank-you gift, if you ask me."

"I'll say." Jaina admired the glowing, emerald-colored enchantments on Katrina's shins. Close up, she noticed the sparkling points of light that peppered the enchantment's ethereal layers. "I can see the stars of Nyx."

"That's how favor works," Katrina shrugged. "I've been told that enchantments like these are a gift of the gods, straight from Nyx."

Jaina was envious. "Reminds me of my own ambitions," she admitted. "I'm trying to get the favor of Heliod and become a devout warrior of his name. No luck so far, though."

"These things take time," Sophia put in. "Relax, Jaina."

"I guess."

It didn't take long to reach Therass, but the quest was only just beginning. Sophia closed her eyes and spread her arms, blue mana wafting from her fingertips as she mouthed words soundlessly. Jaina watched with fascination, but when Sophia opened her eyes, she only shook her head. "The golem's mana trace is everywhere, like a haze. We'll have to find the Shadow League hideout with our eyes only."

"That'll take all day," Petros griped. He glanced at the sprawling port town ahead. "There must be a hundred buildings there!"

"We can ignore the houses," Katrina said crisply as the carriage rolled through the entrance gates and into the town proper. "Sometimes the Shadow League holes up in cellars or basements with protective enchantments. A businessman can work for years over a Shadow League base without ever realizing what kind of people are under his feet."

With that in mind, the party split into two teams; Jaina set off with Katrina and Petros while Sophia, Cadoc, Daxis, and Lagro went to the other side of town. Crowds bustled through the streets and wagons rumbled along, heavy with goods. Unlike in other towns, the people here dealt with nets of squirming fish, boat repair services, trade goods from distant islands, and other marine businesses. Not to mention a temple to Thassa around every corner. _Sophia's going to love this place, _Jaina thought happily.

First, Katrina led Jaina and Petros to a warehouse and asked Petros to distract the manager. This gave Katrina her chance to take Jaina to the back and perform a simple spell on the basement's cellar door. Jaina didn't know what kind of spell it was, but at any rate, Katrina shook her head. "Nothing," she muttered. "This place is empty."

So, Katrina whisked Jaina and Petros off to a wine cellar, where she again checked for Shadow League concealment spells. Again, nothing. Katrina wasn't frustrated yet, though; she checked one building after another as the afternoon sun drifted to the horizon and the shadows grew longer. Ships of all shapes and sizes sailed in and out of the harbor, giving the place an idyllic marine beauty. Seagulls cawed and circled the beach. Waves crashed on the shore.

"Nothing here, either," Katrina grumbled after she checked an inn's wine cellar. For the first time she looked annoyed. "They've got to be here somewhere..."

"Maybe Sophia and the others found the base," Jaina suggested. This wasn't the first time she had scoured a town for clues about the Shadow League, and her limited experience taught her that this was a slow process.

"Possibly," Katrina said. "But it's also possible that the base is simply near the town, like a cave. We'll try that next."

Jaina could see why they had checked the town first; this place was hundreds of hiding places all packed together, so it was more efficient to check here first. But Jaina got the feeling that Katrina was right. Maybe the pack master was holed up farther away.

"Nothing," Sophia reported when the party regrouped at the town gate. "Katrina, I couldn't find any special enchantments or spells on any of the buildings. The League either isn't here, or their spells are too well hidden."

"There's another option," Katrina told her. "We'll check the surrounding land and look for a cave or abandoned outpost. If nothing's out there, we'll figure something out from there."

*o*o*o*o*

Exploring the countryside with the carriage definitely took longer than sweeping the town, and after a few hours of fruitless searching, evening had set in. the reddish sun made the whole ocean glow a radiant yellow-orange, but Jaina was too hungry and bored to appreciate the town's beauty anymore. Where was that infernal pack master? He had to be here somewhere!

"Guess it's about time we check into that inn for the night," Petros suggested hopefully as the carriage trundled over a hill. Nothing but trees and streams came into view. "That reception girl was a real beauty. I wouldn't mind saying hello..."

"Later," Cadoc snapped. He shielded his eyes from the searing sun as he surveyed the terrain. By now the carriage had moved far from the road and into untamed wilderness. "That pack master bastard has to be _somewhere. _I've never been this close to a League base and never found it."

"We just had to pick up a tough case," Jaina joked weakly.

"Couldn't he have moved on?" Lagro suggested a few minutes later. "You know, retreat to another base to throw us off?"

Sophia did another quick scan. "The golem's trace aura is still here," she concluded. "The original pack master is still nearby, but I... wait. Driver, get us past that ridge and circle back around."

Jaina stared up ahead. A thick pine forest lay beyond a rocky ridge, and a few grassy slopes provided a route to get there. "You think the Shadow League base might be there?" Jaina asked.

"There's a series of forts and supply bases around here. I found a few maps back in town," Sophia explained. "A fort is too big to hide with an enchantment, but a forest can act as a natural barrier. No one traveling on the roads would ever spot it."

Sure enough, after the carriage driver carved a U-shaped path in the grassy slopes surrounding the narrow forest, a building came into view, half-hidden among the pine trees.

"There!" Sophia pointed at a gray-brick building with narrow windows. It was visible from here but the trees had completely blocked sight of it from the other side.

"An abandoned fort," Daxis realized. "Modeled after the Akroan style. I recognize it."

He was right. As the carriage approached the fort's edge, the full building came into view. Standing a hundred meters away, it was craftily nestled among the trees to make it invisible from any angle but here. The structure had four stories and a number of short turrets and balconies, not to mention a set of wooden double doors.

"Stop the carriage. Before anyone sees us," Jaina said suddenly.

The carriage driver halted his horses. "I'm guessing we need to keep the carriage here."

"Can't risk moving closer like this," Jaina said slowly, thinking. "We need a way to sneak into there. There could be a hundred grays in there for all we know."

Petros whistled. "Not even I could take out that many goons."

"We need a disguise," Jaina said. "But we don't have any Shadow League uniforms..."

"I know," Sophia piped up. Everyone turned to face her.

"You've got some uniforms?" Petros blurted.

"No," Sophia smiled. "Illusions. I can make a small party of us look like the real thing."

Jaina was impressed. "You can do that?" She had never seen Sophia conjure an illusion spell that powerful.

"Thassa's power is strong here," Sophia explained. She took a deep breath as though to inhale Thassa's divine energy. "It's boosting my powers a bit. Tell me who will infiltrate the base, and I'll do the rest."

Jaina knew that it was her turn to make a decision. "I'll go, for one," she said. "Katrina, Cadoc, you guys come too. You've got experience with this sort of thing."

"Anyone else?" Sophia asked.

"Mmmmmm..." Jaina thought it over, then pointed at Lagro. "You too. Your scimitar could help block enemy blades should it come to that. Daxis' spear would be a bit awkward inside a base. Same goes for bows and arrows."

Petros sat back and relaxed. "Makes sense," he concluded. "Good luck in there."

For the first time, Jaina smiled at Petros. "Thanks. I think we'll need it."

*o*o*o*o*

Jaina tried not to feel self-conscious as she marched up to the fort with her three companions in tow. Although she only wore her regular armor, Jaina also had the illusion of a gray cloak, leather gloves and a gold, skull-shaped mask. Katrina, Cadoc, and Lagro looked much the same and it felt weird to walk alongside what appeared to be grays. As an added measure, Sophia had made Katrina's enchantments invisible; it was doubtful that any real Shadow League members walked around with Nylea's blessing on them.

Casting these illusions had exhausted Sophia even with Thassa's power to aid her, but she had managed to add a bonus effect: if the illusions were broken, then Sophia would know, and she and the others could storm the fort to come to Jaina's aid.

"Remember, let me do the talking," Katrina reminded the group as they entered the fort's shadow.

The minute Katrina knocked on the doors, a hovering eyeball, comprised of ghostly blue mana, popped out of the smooth wood. It swiveled around to take in the four visitors, then spoke in a gravely voice: "What is our greatest ambition?"

Katrina didn't miss a beat. "To exalt the power beyond the grave and reign over all," she said. Sophia's illusion even muffled Katrina's voice as though she actually spoke through a mask.

The eyeball was silent for a few seconds. "Welcome," it said. "What is your business?"

"We transferred here with our cell, but our pack master is away on a short errand," Katrina said simply. "He sent us on ahead."

"Understood," the eyeball told her. "Enter."

The double doors swung open with loud wooden creaking noises and a well-lit hallway stretched deep into the fort. Torches burned on the walls and rugs helped add a little flair to the place.

Apprehensively, Jaina stepped over the threshold with the others and into the fort proper. The doors slammed shut behind them and the eyeball drifted into the hall like a cloud. "You may visit the dining hall for refreshments, if you wish," the eyeball offered.

"Thank you. That will be all," Katrina said. At her words, the eyeball zoomed away and down a side hall.

The party walked down the hall and Jaina released a pent-up breath. "Pretty smooth," she said to Katrina. "How did you know all that?"

"I infiltrated a Shadow League base before," Katrina said. "Long story short, I learned the basics from that experience. It helped that I had captured a gray, stolen his meager secrets, and put on his outfit. Grays don't know much, but they know the code to get into a base."

"Now comes the hard part," Cadoc said tensely. "Finding that pack master and getting him out of here. Does everyone clearly remember what he looks like, based on the golem?"

Jaina nodded; she clearly remembered the golem's features. The man was in his mid-thirties or so, with a chiseled jaw, brown eyes, short black hair, and rather large ears. He would stand at average height, and wasn't particularly thin or bulky.

The fort was definitely built with long-term residence in mind. Many comforts of a home or small manor were here: a long dining room with several tables loaded with food, not to mention a kitchen, a whole suite of bunk beds, a room for bath tubs, and a library study with hundreds of leather-bound books on the shelves. Torches and chandeliers kept the place well-lit against the twilight outside.

"You all need anything?" A woman waved to Jaina's party down a side hall, her hood down and her hands bare. It was odd to see a gray without the mask on. In fact, this woman and the other people here looked perfectly ordinary without their frightening outfit. In some ways, they were just people after all.

"No, we're fine," Cadoc put in. "Which way to the armory?"

"End of the hall, down the stairs, on the right," the woman said as she pointed down the hall. She looked confused. "Why the masks? You're with friends here, you know. Relax a little."

"Oh. Um..." Jaina made to remove her mask, but realized that Sophia's illusion might not allow that. "We're pretty new. Still getting used to all this."

"Relax, Hara, all the new guys are like that," commented a man as he rounded the corner. "You were like that too, you know..."

The woman named Hara shrugged. "I guess. Make yourselves at home, newcomers." She and the man walked off, and Jaina sighed with relief.

"Thought we were going to be caught," she admitted.

"Not that easy," Cadoc said confidently. "Let's just keep looking."

So the party followed Hara's advice and reached the armory. Swords, maces, flails, and shields lined the walls on wooden racks and a few grays were practicing on dummy targets. "Just got here?" one man asked breathlessly, eyeing the newcomers.

"Yeah. Our pack master should be here in a few hours," Katrina told him.

"Good thing," the gray said. "Jero just got back, in fact. About time, too."

"Who?" Jaina blurted, heart hammering. Was this Jero the man they were looking for?

"The pack master who runs this cell. He was supposed to get a new assignment from the trusted one around here," the gray said casually. He picked at a spot on his gray cloak. "But he hasn't done it yet. Guess I shouldn't be surprised, 'cause we've been running into more resistance lately." He scowled. "I mean, just look at the raid on High Rock's arcane library! Really botched that one."

Jaina was glad that the illusory mask hid her gleeful expression. So she _had _done some good so far!

"We could organize an escort party," Katrina offered. "Where can we find him?"

"Upstairs in his study," the gray said. "Third floor."

Without another word, Katrina whirled around and motioned for everyone to follow her back upstairs. Jaina jogged to keep up with Katrina's quick strides, her heart hammering faster than ever. If they caught Jero, they could find a lead to that trusted one!

A few more grays sent passing greetings as Jaina and the others marched up to the third floor. It definitely felt funny being welcomed by Shadow League goons, but now Jaina was too excited to care. Heliod was watching, and Jaina was determined not to mess this up.

Katrina asked a gray for directions, then approached a closed door, raised a slightly trembling hand, and knocked on Jero's door.

"I said I didn't want to be interrupted," the man snapped as he swung open the door. His black cloak was still on, but not his gloves or mask. "This better be important. Barely escaped a bounty hunter back on Coatia with my life. Needed a decoy to get away."

"We're here to help," Katrina told him. "We need to meet that trusted one soon. Why not organize an escort?"

Jero brightened. "Wouldn't mind," he said. "Come in. Just make it quick. I've got some field reports to finish."

Jaina stepped into the study with the others and shut the door behind her. The square room had a loaded bookshelf, a desk covered in papers, and a few maps propped on easels. It was clear that Jero was a pretty information-oriented man. No doubt he knew a lot about the Shadow League.

Jero sighed wearily as he sank back into his desk's chair. He rested his head in his hands. "The coastal towns are wising up," he grumbled. "Guards are on alert and the Reverent Army's been sending reinforcements. Meletis has too much interest in naval trading with these towns to let us rampage unchecked. Got any ideas, guys?"

"I've got one," Cadoc growled. With a lunge, he seized Jero from behind and conjured sizzling red mana on his right hand. He positioned the mana-infused hand to Jero's throat like a knife. "Why don't you come with us?"

For a moment, Jero was still. Then, he said, "Do you know how I got to the rank of pack master?"

"Can it and come with us," Cadoc warned him.

Jero ignored him. "By knowing how to deal with upstarts like you!" Suddenly, a long, humming cord of black mana sprang from his right palm like a snake, and with a flick of the wrist, Jero knocked Cadoc aside with it. Cadoc was thrown back as though hit by a rampaging bull and crashed into a bookshelf. Volumes tumbled to the floor.

"Got to give you bastards credit for getting in this far," Jero huffed as he sprang to his feet, sizing up his opposition. He didn't sound remotely tired anymore. "I suppose security has been a bit lax lately." He reached for the wall with his other hand.

"On me!" Katrina abandoned her disguise, her illusory cloak, mask, and gloves vanishing. Her enchantments flared back up and she snapped out a kick in a green blur. Jero's whip came up to block it, and green mana and black mana sputtered and strained against each other.

All the illusory disguises vanished, since Jero had realized that they were fake. Abandoning all pretense, Jaina whipped out both blades and aimed a thrust at Jero's left thigh, intending to cripple his leg. Lagro came in from the other side with his scimitar held high.

Jero was faster. He broke off contact with Katrina's foot, ducked, and spun in place. His mana whip whirled around like a dervish, throwing all his enemies back and onto the floor. Jaina gasped with surprise as she crumpled to the stone floor; this guy was definitely tougher than his golem counterpart, and quicker, too! Jaina had never seen magic like this.

Before anyone could stop him, Jero slapped his left hand to the wall, and at the touch, loud, wailing sounds filled the room and the hallway beyond. The whole place started flashing red light every few seconds. So this place had another layer of security after all!

Jero's whip broke down the door with a shower of splinters and he retreated into the hall. Growling, Jaina sprang to her feet and sprinted after him with her three allies in tow, but now, grays were swarming onto the fourth floor with weapons at the ready. They didn't have their masks on, so Jaina could clearly see each gray's expression of fury and bloodlust. "Nice trick," one gray spat. "Thought you could fool us?"

"Worked, didn't it?" Cadoc stepped forward and charged up red and white mana on his fist. "Jaina, Katrina, Lagro... let's get to work."

The grays charged en masse. They brought down their maces, scimitars, and morning stars on the four surrounded intruders, and Jaina found herself up to her neck in enemies. Her arms burned as she fought off attacks from all sides, and she felt cuts and bruises accumulate all over. Lagro didn't have much luck, either; his face contorted with concentration as he fended off attacks, but his scimitar couldn't be everywhere at once.

Then, Katrina went into action. She dodged a few sword thrusts, then swept her leg around in a powerful roundhouse kick that sent at least three grays flying. The other grays suddenly hesitated, unsure how to deal with this threat.

Taking her chance, Jaina went on the offensive and swept her left sword across one gray's chest. The blade's cutting edge sliced through the man's leather armor and into flesh, sending him crumpling to the floor.

At the same time, Lagro's scimitar knocked aside a gray's mace, then the hoplite kicked the man aside and forced his way closer to Jaina. "I've got your back!" he huffed.

Jaina grinned. "Good."

The four of them were surrounded and Jaina wasn't so sure about her odds. Once again the grays attacked, and again Jaina needed every once of her Reverent Army training to keep the enemy weapons at bay. She felt sweat soak into her clothing and her breath came in gasps, but she stubbornly kept her swords in action and focused on one enemy at a time. Then, as she tangled blades with two grays, she cried, "Katrina! Now!"

Katrina's left foot sent one of the grays flying into the wall, while Lagro's scimitar sliced into the other one's liver. Both men cried out and dropped their weapons, breaking the grays' ranks. Katrina kept up her momentum and kicked another gray's morning star out of his hands, then seized the weapon and buried it in the man's chest. The gray slumped, defeated.

"Now's our chance!" Katrina shoved one gray aside and broke free of the melee. While Cadoc and Lagro kept the grays busy, Katrina charged at Jero and leaped into the air, unleashing a sweeping kick aimed at the pack master's head.

Once again, Jero was once step ahead. His mana whip came up just in time to block the blow, but before Katrina could get away, the whip tangled itself around her ankle and threw her aside. Katrina yelped as she crashed against a wall, then she toppled to the floor in a heap.

"How bold," he commented, eyes glinting. "Have to admit, you guys are good at fighting grays. But I'm different."

With a flourish, Jero whirled his whip around the air a few times and sent it screaming through the air. Jaina leaped back just in time, but the whip's tip caught Lagro right in the stomach. The hoplite's scimitar fell from his hand and onto the floor as he was lifted up by the whip's terrible power, and then Lagro was thrown aside and deposited some ten feet away.

Panic rose in Jaina's gut. "Lagro!" She made to help him, only to get caught as the whip came around again. Pain flared from Jaina's leg as the arcane cord wrapped itself around her shin and flung her like a doll. She curled into a ball and rolled with the momentum to break her fall, but the whip had done more than throw her.

Jaina felt her head grow light as the whip's power sapped her strength. Looking down, she saw dark patches spreading across her shin and creeping up her leg. Alarm shot through Jaina's mind. _No! _She seized her leg as though to peel off the curse, but she knew it was beyond her power.

"You're not getting out of here alive. Any of you!" Jero thundered. "This is the last time you try to mess with me."

"C-Cadoc!" Jaina gasped. She watched as Cadoc blasted the last of the grays aside with a blistering helix of red and white mana. Then, Cadoc staggered toward Jero. He was not well; nasty cuts covered his body and his left arm seemed broken, or at least dislocated. Blood seeped from it and Cadoc gripped it with his other hand, but still, red and white mana danced around him like an aura. At least his mana reserves were intact.

"You survived all those grays? You're tougher than you look," Jero said. He lashed his whip on the stone floor as a warning, gouging a deep scar that sizzled with black mana.

"For a change, I agree with you," Cadoc said grimly. He conjured a spiral of red-white power on his right fist. "Now let's get it over with."

The two men charged and Jero's mana whip slapped Cadoc's right hand aside with a _crack_. Cadoc wasn't fazed by the blow, however; instead, he slipped to the side and brought up his heel, smashing it right on Jero's chin. Stunned, Jero stumbled back and his black mana whip faltered for a second.

Cadoc pounced on his chance. He took a flying leap and brought his right fist down, intensifying his power into a swollen vortex of red and white mana. Quickly, Jero rolled out of the way to avoid it, but still, the sheer power hurled him against the wall and burned through his black cloak. Groaning, Jero crumpled to the floor and staggered to his feet. A nasty cut b led over his left eye.

Pressing his advantage, Cadoc hurled another helix of mana, but his mana reserves were clearly exhausted after the last attack. Jero skirted around the blazing assault, snaked his whip's cord through the air, and formed a net that trapped Cadoc's arm in place.

"Gods damn it!" Cadoc strained against the web but it was no use; the cords kept Cadoc's arm stuck in place like a spider web, and now Jero was drawing a knife from his belt to finish the job.

_I've got to help him! _Jaina strained to get back to her feet, but she shrieked in pain as Jero's whip curse crept up to her navel. Her legs gave way and she fell again, and it was all she could do to crawl toward Jero. "K-Katrina," she croaked. "H-help us!" But the bounty hunter had been knocked out when she hit the wall.

Rapid footsteps sounded from the nearest staircase and for a moment, Jaina thought that more grays had arrived. Then, she felt a flood of relief as Petros, Daxis, and Sophia came into view. Sophia was wheezing and clutched a stitch at her side, but she gave Jaina a quick smile and huffed, "We searched all over for you. Time to finish this!"

"Oh look, more vermin," Jero growled. He kicked Cadoc aside, untangled his whip, and sent the deadly black cord lashing out at the newcomers.

With a burst of effort, Sophia threw up her hands and summoned her white mana. A round barrier of pearly white mana popped into the air and took the brunt of the whip's blow. Sparks blasted from the point of contact.

Next, Petros popped out from behind the shield and loosed an arrow. The projectile narrowly missed the elusive pack master, but this bought Lagro enough time to recover, get to his feet, and slash his sword down upon Jero's right arm.

With a a spray of blood, Lagro's scimitar cleaved through Jero's wrist and amputated his hand. At once, the mana whip evaporated into wisps of inky black mana and Jero fell to his knees, howling. He clutched his bleeding stump with a look of utter shock on his face. His face went pale, his lip trembling.

"I've got him." Petros tore off a gray's cloak, ripped it into strips, and bound it to Jero's wound to stop the bleeding. Then he heaved Jero onto his feet and gripped the pack master's left wrist. "You're coming with us, pal."

Jero found his voice. "Do I have a choice?" he snapped, still pale.

"Jaina!" Daxis dashed over and offered a hand, which Jaina gratefully accepted. Jaina gingerly tested her legs but found that she couldn't quite stand on them yet. Lagro came over and helped Daxis support Jaina's weight.

Katrina stirred, then got to her enchanted feet. "Oh," she said when she took in the scene. "Good work, everyone. Sorry if that last blow knocked me out a bit." She winced and massaged her skull.

Jaina smiled. "Sorry, Katrina. I'll make sure you get the fun of capturing the next one."

There was a second of silence, then everyone burst out laughing. "Let's get out of here before any more grays show up," Sophia told everyone. "Move out."

Slowly, awkwardly, the party made its way down the stairs and back through the front doors. The alarm system continued to wail and flash red lights, but no one else attacked the party. Perhaps the other grays had been scared off by Cadoc's and Katrina's abilities, or had retreated into a shelter to await reinforcements. Either way, Sophia had brought over the carriage and everyone piled into it. Then they left the fort behind for good.


	9. Chapter 9

**PATH OF ASCENSION**

**by Ulquiorra9000**

**Chapter 9**

Fortunately for Jaina and her companions, none of the grays gave chase, since the grays had suffered casualties and didn't have a leader to coordinate them. Sophia's quote had proven right: cut off a snake's head and the body will follow. Jero was now powerless and alone, not to mention unable to use his mana whip. His favor from Erebos had been focused in his right hand, after all, so he was now just a man.

Even better, the people of Therass were grateful for Jaina's action to cripple the local Shadow League cell; so grateful, that their healers tended to everyone in Jaina's party, free of charge. "Ridding us of those wicked people is payment enough," the healer had said upon seeing Jero as a prisoner. This even led to a free dinner and a night at the inn.

But there was still one more issue.

"Okay, I'm going to be asking the questions here," Cadoc said forcefully the next morning. Jaina's carriage was parked by the road outside Therass, and Jero sat cross-legged by the wagon's wheel with ropes of white mana binding him together. Sophia was happy to help Cadoc get some information out of Jero, but she refused to use any torture methods on him. By her own admission, she didn't have the stomach for it. But Cadoc did.

"Or what?" Jero spat. He glared up at Cadoc, who towered over him and blocked out the sun. "Going to kill me? Go ahead. I'll meet my master. Death is my ally."

"Then I won't send you to him just yet," Cadoc retorted. He knelt before Jero and drew a knife from his belt, a long blade with a wicked edge. "But I can soak the earth with your blood. I'll break your fingers. You'll scream out your deepest secrets just to make it stop!"

Jero didn't look entirely convinced, but he did glance at the knife with apprehension. "Think you're a tough guy?" he said, stalling for time. He tried to squirm in Sophia's magic binding but couldn't. "So you've hunted the League for the past few years. Doesn't mean you can break me."

Jaina watched the spectacle silently with the others. Like Sophia, she balked at the idea of using pain to wrench information from someone. She liked the battlefield better, an even battleground of power versus power. But this was different. And Cadoc seemed to like it a bit too much.

"What about your pinky?" Cadoc seized Jero's left pinkie finger and wrenched it aside with an organic _crunch_. Jero winced and went red, but he didn't say a word. His chest heaved.

Cadoc now took Jero's right wrist and poised his knife at the bandaged stump. "Still quiet? Maybe I should twist the knife in the wound. Literally, you know. Find out why people made up that expression in the first place."

"Pack masters are trusted with Erebos' secrets," Jero snarled, still red in the face. "Not as much as a trusted one, mind you. But I carry his favor with pride."

"Carried. Past tense," Cadoc corrected him. His eyes were hard. "Speaking of trusted ones... I know there's one nearby, or maybe even several. I found a golem in your likeness earlier and there's no pack master alive who could have created it. Care to fill me in?"

"I don't know anything about that," Jero growled. "Do what you want, but I can't – uuuurgh!"

For Cadoc had indeed driven his knife into Jero's stump, carefully and slowly. Not deep, but enough to elicit a response.

Jero's bandages soaked with fresh blood, but the pack master didn't say a word. He scrunched up his face as sweat ran down his brow.

"Tell me everything," Cadoc demanded.

"The Shadow League has a secure system," Jero spat. "Trusted ones use memory magic when giving assignments to pack masters. After orders are given, he or she wipes the pack master's memory of his or her identity. It's always been this way. I can't give any names even if you torture me to death!"

Cadoc tilted his head as he considered this. "Sounds fair," he conceded. "I suppose I'd use a system like that too. But how are you to meet them, then? Intermediaries? How do you get your orders?"

"We... have our ways," Jero said evasively. "Ouch!"

Again Cadoc had stuck his knife in Jero's stump, and this time he twisted a bit to make his point. Jero panted and shut his eyes, sweat running down his face.

"How exactly does this system work?" Cadoc pressed on. "What mission were you undertaking earlier, when you were riding away from Coatia on horseback? What is the Shadow League planning to do around here?"

This time Jero stayed silent, so Cadoc twisted the knife as promised, getting blood everywhere. He carefully watched Jero's face for a response, but as the seconds dragged by, the pack master kept his silence. So Cadoc retorted with more pain, will against will.

Jaina felt herself tensing as she watched the silent, bloody battle. Her heart raced and she clenched her fists to distract herself. _We have to do this, _she reminded herself. _Jero's a danger to everyone. He'll break soon. He has to!_

Deeper into the stump Cadoc went, and Jero was soon gasping for breath and baring his teeth. A minute had passed, with Cadoc's knife twisting and digging in Jero's flesh the entire time.

Then two.

Then three.

Finally, Jero exploded: "I was sent a message telling when and where to meet! At Coatia's docks!"

"Really." Cadoc withdrew his knife and put pressure on Jero's stump. The bandages were soaked through.

Jero was clearly regretting spilling this info, but he went on. "I was told to meet an intermediary. I don't know where the trusted one will be until I have that meeting."

"And what about your golem? The one that the trusted one created to throw Katrina off your trail? Do you remember anything about that?"

"Not much. A trusted one helped me out, but I can't remember his or her identity," Jero responded. "Or anything else at all." Now he looked triumphant. "So there you go, asshole. Not even I can say more than that. You're stuck. I can't do anything else for you."

Jero was clearly ready to die, but Cadoc had other ideas. "I think you can," Cadoc said.

"Huh?"

"Resume your mission. Get to Coatia and wait for that intermediary to meet you. I think they will understand if you're late. It's a dangerous lifestyle, after all."

"Wh-what?" Jero looked shocked.

"My companions and I want to find that trusted one and kill him or her," Cadoc said. "That's why we banded together: to deal the Shadow League a heavy blow. Killing a trusted one should do that."

Jero stared, then burst out laughing. "I don't believe it! You want to use me as a lure to _fight _my boss? He or she will kill you all! I'm a decent fighter, yes, but a trusted one is entirely different! Each trusted one is gifted with Erebos' deepest, most powerful secrets and power. That's why they're called trusted ones!"

"I'll deal with that," Cadoc plowed on. "I need to find your boss."

A look of bloodlust crossed Jero's face. "You really want me to help you find my boss? You'll follow my lead?"

Cadoc glanced back at Sophia, who nodded. Jaina could hardly believe it; she was going to let a pack master bring her party right to the trusted one! But what if Jero tried something? Jaina prayed that Cadoc knew what he was doing.

"I need you to do this," Cadoc firmly told Jero.

"Then I'll do it," he grinned wickedly. "Coatia's not far from here. I'll meet my contact there and find the trusted one. Then you can charge in to your doom!"

Jaina saw what Jero meant. He was convinced that fighting the trusted one was a suicide mission, and he figured that he'd destroy several of the Shadow League's enemies with one fell swoop. Jaina gripped her swords' handles tightly. She would prove this pack master wrong! She had to!

"We'll see," Cadoc said grimly. He turned. "Sophia, unbind him. We're taking a little trip."

*o*o*o*o*

The trip to Coatia took only an hour or so, but things slowed down once Jaina's party arrived at the town. It was a lot like Therass, but bigger: the docks hosted several large ocean liners, vessels with many sails and probably dozens of crewmen. The largest of these ships was a behemoth, probably roomy enough to carry a village's worth of people. That ship had a wide boarding ramp that connected its hull to the docks. Crewmen carried crates up and into the ship, one at a time. Perhaps the ship was preparing to set sail soon.

Meanwhile, Cadoc's party lurked at the edge of town with Jero in tow. "So, where first?" Cadoc asked his prisoner.

Jero massages his freshly bandaged stump. "At warehouse three."

Cadoc checked that the coast was clear, then gave Jero a little shove. "Then get going. My fellows and I will be close by. Behave yourself."

Throwing his hood over his head, Jero stalked off to the appointed warehouse like a shadow in his black cloak. He made sure to hide his severed stump in his sleeves, the better not to alarm his contact.

Quietly, Jaina and the others followed Cadoc and hid behind a tavern's back wall, watching Jero the entire time. For some time, the lonely pack master stood in the warehouse's shadow as he waited for the contact to arrive. Midday passed to early afternoon and carriages full of wealthy-looking people started pulling into town, but little else happened.

Finally, a portly man in a gray vest and white shirt snuck out of the town's crowds and stole toward warehouse three. He looked pretty ordinary: balding, with a short beard and gentleman's boots on his feet. The man approached Jero and said, "No one followed me here. Made sure of that."

"Good," Jero responded curtly. "Make it quick."

The man cleared his throat. "The trusted one is pleased with the success of your last mission. He, or she, wants you to board the _Dawnsail _and attend Madam Apolla's charity ball as an honored guest. She will make sure that you're on the guest register." The man made no mention of how late Jero was; apparently, delays and mishaps were to be expected in this job.

And that name... Madam Apolla. Even Jaina had heard of it. Madam Apolla was retired now, but she had been a wealthy shipping tycoon and stood among Theros' wealthiest. She lived on a mansion on a small island out at sea, where she often hosted charity events and other humanitarian efforts. So this was why Jaina saw so many rich-looking people coming into town: the massive _Dawnsail _was going to take them to Madam Apolla's charity ball.

But what did that have to do with the Shadow League?

"Understood," Jero said. "The trusted one will be there?"

"Yes. You are to be rewarded for your efforts," the intermediary said. "In addition, you are to act as a bodyguard for the trusted one while he or she carries out an important task. I was not told what kind, but no doubt the trusted one will tell you when you get there."

"So the trusted one's task will take place during the charity ball," Jero repeated. "I see."

"Madam Apolla must not be alerted, nor any of her guards," the intermediary warned. "We need utmost subtly and efficiency."

"As usual," Jero said dismissively. "I'll be on that ship. I'll get to the party. And I'll meet the trusted one right on time. Better hope this plan goes smoothly. I've had enough mishaps recently. Nearly got cornered by a bounty hunter."

The intermediary looked concerned. "Should I call for reinforcements?"

"No." Jero shook his head. "I am fine as is."

"Very well. That is all." The intermediary turned and walked off.

Jaina and Cadoc waited until the man left, then they confronted Jero. "We need a way on board, too," Cadoc told Jero. "You'd better find a good excuse to get us there."

"I suppose you all could pose as volunteer protection," Jero said slowly. "A trusted one made sure that I'm a friend of Madam Apolla, so I can tell the guards to let you on board. No guarantee that it'll work."

Cadoc pointed at the _Dawnsail_. "Just do it."

So, fifteen minutes later, Jaina and the others followed Jero to the _Dawnsail_'s dock. By now Jero had abandoned his Shadow League cloak and simply wore the normal clothing that he had worn underneath.

"Welcome," said an armored guard. "Madam Apolla will be happy to see you at her ball, Jero. Who are the extras?"

Gesturing at Jaina and the others, Jero said, "Volunteer security. They'll make sure that things stay civil during the ball."

"Goodness knows we could use more help," the guard said. "Even more people showed up than any of us expected!"

"We're here to help," Sophia said kindly.

The guard stood aside. "All of you are clear to board. Enjoy the trip."

Hardly believing her luck, Jaina walked up the boarding ramp with the others and into the _Dawnsail_'s interior.


	10. Chapter 10

**PATH OF ASCENSION**

**by Ulquiorra9000**

**Chapter 10**

Being a "security guard" on board the _Dawnsail _wasn't as difficult as it sounded, even though most of the passengers had brought their families, bringing the guest total over one hundred (by what Jaina overheard). The ship's passenger decks were loaded with the wealthy and their families, but the trip to Madam Apolla's island mansion turned out to be surprisingly quiet. Other guards patrolled the ship and kept order with a well-practiced hand, so Jaina was left with patrol duty with her fellows.

On the evening of the second day, Jaina found herself paired with Petros on duty, so that meant wandering a fixed route through the _Dawnsail_'s interior with him the whole time. Jaina had been told that the _Dawnsail _would arrive at the island the next morning, and to Jaina, morning couldn't come soon enough.

"How tough do you think the trusted one will be?" Petros asked eagerly, after half an hour of patrolling. He rubbed his hands together.

"Very," Jaina answered wearily. Petros, out of boredom, had been nagging her with inane questions and comments the whole time.

"Makes it more fun," Petros said, unfazed. "That was a good fight back at the fort, but I'm ready to _really _take it to the Shadow League."

"We _all _are," Jaina sighed. "But we can't get cocky. I keep telling you that." She felt her insides squirm with anxiety. Fighting Jero and his grays had been tough enough; she clearly remembered the pain of Jero's mana whip coiling around her leg, sapping her strength, leaving her helpless on the floor...

Petros' next obnoxious comment brought Jaina back to the present. "I think you worry too much, Jaina. We're tough! I think we're going to kick ass, and we should arrange a big celebration party when we get back to Meletis. Do you think the headmaster will help set it up?"

Enough was enough. "Shut up already!" Jaina snapped. She and Petros rounded a corner, walking past more guest cabin doors.

"I was only joking," Petros shrugged.

Jaina ignored him. "I'm tired of all your yammering, Petros! Ever since we set out, it's been 'I'm such a great archer!' and 'This is boring!' and 'I'm such a ladies' man!' Will you stop it already?"

"Lower your voice," Petros warned her, his voice suddenly cold. "What's your deal, Jaina?"

"You," Jaina retorted. It felt good to finally say something about this. "You're my deal! I was required to bring you with me for this quest. It's not like I enjoy this."

"You've got bigger problems than that," Petros argued. "What about Cadoc? You just go around treating him like he's so great, dragging him along 'cause you think he's so _cool _and _mysterious _and _damaged_... but I think he's trouble."

"That's not why I recruited him," Jaina defended herself, but she felt herself redden. Truth be told, she did like Cadoc's rugged determination. "He's a good addition to the team. I think you're just jealous of him."

Petros sputtered. "Jealous of Cadoc? Are you kidding? I just don't trust him, that's all. Something is wrong about that guy."

"Like _what_?"

"Like... well, I can't put it clearly into words," Petros faltered. He frowned. "It's just... he's _too _damaged by the Shadow League, if you know what I mean."

"I don't."

"That guy's more than revenge-bent," Petros said in a grim tone. "Something broke in his mind when he was disgraced by the League and expelled from his home polis. He told me all about it, and I was suspicious even then."

Jaina felt more exasperated by the second. "I don't think this is an issue."

"I'm telling you, there's something wrong with that guy!" Petros insisted. He didn't raise his voice, but Jaina was shocked by the sudden intensity of it. "He enjoyed torturing Jero a bit too much. I saw it. Men like him are trouble."

"It was an interrogation," Jaina said, but she felt a creeping doubt in her mind as she spoke. "We needed that intel."

"I know we did," Petros relented, "but once this mission's over, we need to ditch that guy. Quick."

"Pretty eager to get rid of him, aren't you?" Jaina wondered how long this argument would go. She was starting to get a headache. Couldn't they get to Madam Apolla's island and finish all this already?

Petros nodded. "I just think we should stick to people we trust, that's all."

"I trust Cadoc."

"I'm not sure you should."

Jaina felt her anger rise again. "What gives you the right to doubt Sophia's and my decision to bring him along? We decide what happens on this quest! Not you!"

"I'm trying to help," Petros said stiffly. "I've got this quest's best interests at heart, believe it or not. I want us to do this the right way."

"Since when did you care about anything besides glory and women?" Jaina taunted him.

Petros' face fell. He seemed to deflate at Jaina's words. "Since I learned to grow up and take responsibility for myself."

Now Jaina was curious. "What's that supposed to mean?"

For a minute Petros was quiet; he looked like he was deliberating something in his head. Then: "Do you know why I joined the Reverent Army?"

"No," Jaina said blankly. She had never bothered to find out, or even wonder about it.

"It was my only way to redeem myself," Petros admitted heavily. "I was a criminal when I was younger."

"Huh?" Jaina never imagined Petros as a criminal.

Petros swallowed. "I ran with a bad crowd growing up. My family was poor, so some kids and I did all kinds of petty crime. Stealing from shop vendors. Pickpocketing. That kind of thing."

"And then?"

"I, uh... first, promise me you'll keep all this secret." For the first time, Petros' voice had a slight pleading tone.

Jaina suddenly felt tense. What was Petros going to tell her? "All right, I promise. What's your secret?"

"I killed a man," Petros said bluntly. He clenched his fists, taking a few deep breaths. "I was only fourteen. During a break-in to a old merchant's home. The old man caught me and my friends, so out of panic I attacked him. I tackled him in his study, and he hit his head on the edge of his desk and died before the city healers could get there. Then the guards hauled me off to jail."

Jaina was shocked. "They let you join the Reverent Army after that? I didn't know any of this!"

"Because we didn't meet until you joined the Army academy yourself," Petros told her. He sounded relieved to tell someone this. "Look, I spent two years after that accident in a boys' correctional institution and proved my remorse. Every day since I killed that old merchant, I lived in regret, even though it was ruled as involuntary manslaughter. For a time, I thought I deserved to die."

Petros shrugged. "Then I was told that serving the city was a better use of my time and energy. I eventually came to agree, and was allowed to join the Army when I turned sixteen and swore by Heliod's name to never hurt anyone unjustly again."

"Oh." Jaina didn't know what else to say, so she changed topics a bit. "But... why do you act like you do? Boasting and womanizing and complaining..."

"I left my old self behind," Petros told her. "I got over myself and decided to look on the bright side of things. I tried to reinvent myself, but I guess I took it a little far. I'm sorry if I annoyed you."

"I, uh..." Again Jaina didn't know what exactly to say. She decided on: "Thank you, Petros, for being so honest with me. I really didn't know."

Petros nodded. "Just... make sure you don't tell the others, okay?"

"I won't." Jaina spent a few minutes walking, then added, "Let's just stay focused and finish this quest. Do your part, Petros, and we'll be fine."

"Of course." Petros' old grin came back. "I want to be the archer that you need for this quest. I'm here for you. I'm ready and willing to lay my life down if need be. I mean it."

"Good. Hopefully it won't come to that," Jaina said frankly. She continued her patrol in silence, but she felt shaken by what Petros had told her. If he had suffered all that and still wanted to complete the mission so badly, then Jaina definitely had to give it her all. She could make no excuse.

As Jaina walked, she noticed that for some reason, the _Dawnsail _had started churning and rocking. Was there a storm outside? Then, an almighty _crash _threw the ship hard to starboard and both Jaina and Petros found themselves thrown to the floor.

The cabin doors slammed open and frightened guests babbled everywhere. "Get back in your rooms! Let us sort this out!" Jaina hollered. She scrambled to her feet and took off down the hall, heart hammering. "Come on, Petros!"

"Coming!" Petros got to his feet and followed Jaina to the security cabin, where Madam Apolla's guard captain was on full alert with his men.

"Got to be a kraken," the bearded captain said grimly. He gripped his pike tightly. "Make sure all the guests are in their rooms, then assemble on the top deck!"

Jaina's mind was racing as she checked the ship with the other guards. A kraken? Now? When dozens of rich and powerful people were going to an island where a trusted one was lurking? Something was going on here, and Jaina's ignorance of the situation frustrated her.

*o*o*o*o*

It took only a few minutes to secure all the guests, but Jaina knew that this was going to be a long night. She reached the top deck with the other guards and was met by a sight from her nightmares. Churning water slapped against the _Dawnsail _and angry waves rocked the ship like a toy. Thick gray clouds had convened overhead and sheets of rain fell on the ship while thunder boomed overhead. The red evening sun shone faintly through the horizon's storm clouds, throwing everything into twilight.

There was also a hungry kraken.

"It's a big one!" the guard captain shouted over the noise. "Mages, prepare to release your spells!"

Several mages, including Cadoc, had gathered on the deck's middle while nearly two dozen soldiers surrounded them in a protective ring. Destructive red, white, and green mana hummed and glowed in the air as the mages prepared their power, but to Jaina's eyes, the magic was only a pretty light show compared to the kraken's bulk.

Like a massive cobra, the sea serpent rose from the waters and bore down on the _Dawnsail_. Its creamy white underbelly was protected by thousands of dinner plate-sized scales, but the beast's back had massive, silver plating on it, and Jaina doubted that the strongest mages in the world could penetrate that chitinous armor. If Jaina had to guess, the kraken's serpentine body was at least twenty feet in diameter.

What an evening.

Unfettered by the rain, the kraken loomed over the ship and lowered its ugly head toward the assembled human defenders. Two round, yellow eyes glared at the warriors from under a hood of gray armor, and a dozen scaly mandibles surrounded the beast's toothy mouth. Jaina stood her ground with the other , but felt hope bleeding out of her as she stared up at the kraken's hungry maw. Nothing at the Reverent Army academy had prepared her for _this_!

The kraken let out a shriek of hunger and came crashing down on the _Dawnsail_. At once, a cluster of sizzling mana jets sprang from the mages' outstretched hands, and the massive kraken jerked back as the magical assault washed over its hideous face. Smoke coiled from the kraken's scorched armor, but to Jaina's eyes, the magical attacks had only made it madder.

Again the kraken threw itself at the _Dawnsail_, and again the mages retorted with a blistering volley of magic. The soldiers jabbed their pikes and sword at the beast's bulk, chipping off a few of its belly scales and scratching its back plates. Growling deep in its throat, the kraken slithered back out of harm's way.

Jaina didn't let herself relax for a second. While rain pelted her face and thunder filled her ears, she gripped her swords tight and kept her eyes on her giant foe. She had heard tales of kraken attacks back at Meletis, since the beasts sometimes preyed on merchant ships that sailed in and out of the polis' harbor. None of the descriptions did this beast justice, however; it was nature's destructive power given life.

Now the kraken shifted position, made another screechy roar, and flopped heavily onto the _Dawnsail_. This time, loud wooden cracking noises filled the air as the kraken threw its weight on the ship. What was more, the beast's mandibles caught two soldiers and drew the screaming men into its toothy maw. The men's cries were silenced as they were swallowed whole.

Instinctively, Jaina drew back, fear coursing through her. What good were her short swords against _that_? She didn't want to be swallowed too. She felt a chill run down her spine, and not from the cold rain that soaked her.

Jaina barely heard the guard captain's next order, but she soon saw the results. Now the soldiers rushed forth, their pikes and swords glowing with coalesced layers of mana. Fearlessly, the soldiers jabbed and slashed at the kraken with their enchanted weapons, and now they broke through the beast's defenses. The kraken squealed in pain as enchanted weapons tore at its face and neck, spilling gallons of dark red blood onto the deck.

The kraken had had enough. It shrank back and slipped under the ocean's angry waves, leaving only the storm and creaking ship behind. Jaina stared, awed. The kraken had vanished so fast, its whole attack had seemed like only a bad dream. She stared at the waves; had a massive, ship-killing beast really come from down there?

"Group up," the guard captain called out.

Numbly, Jaina turned and joined her fellow guards. The mages all looked exhausted but pleased at their work. "We enchanted their weapons," Cadoc told Jaina over the wind's howling. "It's a useful tactic for combined-arms assaults. Remember when I enchanted Petros' arrow?"

Jaina nodded. She clearly recalled Cadoc enchanting an arrow so Petros could send his projectile further than by any mundane means. "I guess we'll have to remember that for later battles," she said, unwilling to mention the Shadow League by name in front of the guards.

"Yeah," Cadoc said. "I suppose we – behind you!"

Jaina hardly needed the warning. The ocean's surface exploded and the kraken surged out of the water, angrier than ever. Torrents of water spilled across the _Dawnsail_'s surface and Jaina winced against the wave of cold seawater. She _knew _this had been too easy!

When Jaina opened her eyes, a fresh wave of dread coursed through her. The kraken was still wounded, but this time, three sets of lobster-like arms sprouted from the kraken's upper body, each arm fitted with a claw big enough to cleave a cyclops in half.

Now the kraken renewed its attack, and the human defenders could do little but frantically try to avoid the beast's claws. Jaina and the other soldiers leaped out of the way just in time, for the kraken had thrown itself onto the _Dawnsail_'s deck yet again. One of the mages was too slow, though. A claw closed around him and clenched, neatly sawing him in half. Seconds later, a pike-wielding guard met the same fate.

"Attack!" the guard captain hollered. The other guards advanced and jabbed at the kraken with their enchanted pikes while a few mages flung scorching jets of fire for support. Fresh wounds peppered the kraken's hide, but the beast casually swept a claw aside and knocked the soldiers away.

_Just when I thought we stood a chance, _Jaina thought darkly. She joined the other guards in another assault, but she felt her short swords merely bounce off the kraken's thick plates. Then, pain erupted in her chest when a claw smashed her aside. Jaina felt herself tumble away like a rag doll, head ringing from when her head struck the _Dawnsail_'s deck. She struggled to catch her breath.

Jaina could barely hear the battle, but she did hear the kraken roar and men shout in alarm. Shaking her head, she pushed herself onto her feet, picked up her swords, and rushed back over. No lousy sea snake was going to best _her_!

Or maybe it would. Jaina found herself retreating from the kraken's marauding claws, and while she watched, the claws claimed three more bloody victims. No one dared get close enough to the beast for land a solid blow.

"We've got to find its weak spot!" Petros shouted over the wind. The kraken was now content to keep its chest on the ship's deck and wave its claws everywhere.

"That thing doesn't have a weak spot!" Jaina called back. Was this any time for Petros' cockiness?

"I'm an archer," Petros told her. "I've trained to shoot things in their weak spots. All armor has vulnerable areas! This kraken's hide _must_ have a weak point!"

"But... oh," Jaina realized. She stared at the kraken's ugly, snake-like body. Its armor plates were thick, yes, but what about _underneath _them? Why did the kraken need plates and scales to begin with?

The soft, fleshy body underneath.

"Captain!" Jaina barked at the man. "We've got to get on that thing and injure the flesh under the plates!"

The captain quickly caught on. "We need a distraction," he said. "Mages, prepare a diversion while I set up a strike team."

Jaina was only too happy to join the strike team. After Cadoc infused Jaina's right blade with tight coils of red and white mana, she sheathed the left one and joined four other soldiers, all of them prepared for the worst. As soon as the mages distracted the kraken with a magical attack, Jaina and the others sprang into action.

It felt crazy, charging straight at a six-armed kraken. But what other choice did Jaina have? She could spend all evening hacking at its plates and never get anywhere.

One of the attacking guards wailed as a claw caught and crushed him, but Jaina and the other three men grabbed hold of the kraken's bumpy plates and hung on tight. At once, the kraken lifted itself again, swaying back and forth as though to shake off its passengers.

Jaina gripped the kraken's chitinous hide with the numb, aching fingers on her left hand. She didn't dare let go; if she fell to the deck from this height, she'd be clawed to death, and if she fell into the ocean, she was definitely done for.

The other soldiers rammed their swords at the junctions between the kraken's plates, but even their enchanted weapons couldn't quite break through. Smoke wafted from the scorched plating, but nothing more.

The kraken, angrier than ever, screeched and twisted its arms back as though to pick off its unwanted passengers. One of the claws seized a man and tossed him right into the ocean, leaving Jaina and just two others.

A claw lunged at Jaina and she felt the claw's sharp edge slice open her thigh. Not a sound escaped Jaina's lips, however; she was too numb, wet, and determined to register anything but a desire to kill this kraken. With blood oozing down her leg, she heaved herself onto the kraken's back plates, out of the claws' reach. Before the kraken could throw her off, she knelt and plunged her sword at the same place where a guard had struck earlier.

This time the kraken gave a reaction. It squealed again and jerked back, but Jaina hung onto her sword for dear life as she drove it deeper between the kraken's plates. Cadoc's searing red mana melted the damaged plating away while the white mana drilled deeper into the flesh.

The kraken twisted its whole body aside and Jaina saw the other two guards fly off, splashing into the ocean far below. It was just her now, the only one who could finish it. Jaina gritted her teeth as she strained to push the sword ever deeper, her arm muscles burning...

Cadoc's mana had reached a critical point. By its own accord, the mana pierced the kraken's soft flesh and spread like a toxin. Red and pearly white mana shone from underneath the kraken's plates and Jaina smelled burning flesh.

Jaina suddenly realized that the kraken was about to sink into the ocean again; it was quickly lowering itself into the sea, and if Jaina didn't jump off now, she'd be trapped. Alarmed, she wrenched her sword free, ran across the kraken's back, and took a flying leap. She just barely reached the _Dawnsail_'s ledge, seizing it with her aching left hand.

Jaina hung off the deck's edge, dangling right over the ocean. She felt her grip weakening. Any second now, she'd fall into the churning ocean. She prayed for Heliod to watch over her. Would the gods have mercy?

Strong hands gripped Jaina's arms and hoisted her up. Shivering, Jaina sprawled onto her back and relaxed, her sword falling out of her hand. Meanwhile, the writhing, smoking kraken plunged into the ocean's depths once again. Jaina tensely waited for its return, but she was left only with the rain and thunder.

"It's gone now. Must be," the guard captain figured. "Animal instinct. Don't stay close to something that can hurt you that badly."

"Hey, you did great," Petros said excitedly, kneeling beside Jaina. "You, one, kraken, zero."

"Good work out there," Cadoc grinned.

"Thanks, guys," Jaina mumbled, too tired to say any more. She let the guard captain bandage her leg, then Petros supported her as she made her way back to the guard barracks.


	11. Chapter 11

**PATH OF ASCENSION**

**by Ulquiorra9000**

**Chapter 11**

The kraken, thankfully, had given up its assault on the _Dawnsail_ and Jaina had the time to get her wounds healed by the ship's , by mid-morning the next day, the passenger liner docked securely at its destination: Nanni Island, the home of Madam Apolla's mansion.

It was just as Jaina imagined: an idyllic, private island with white sand beaches, well-tended forests and gardens, and most of all, a mansion that rivaled Meletis' city hall in sheer size. At least six stories high, the structure had massive pillars supporting its roofs and a number of other features, like an enclosure for horses and an outdoor amphitheater.

But Jaina didn't have much time to take in the luxury. As soon as she stepped off the _Dawnsail_ with her party members and the real guards, all guards found themselves whisked to a meeting room in the mansion's personnel wing. There, the chief of security, a short-haired woman, outlined the plans for the charity ball later that evening.

"What you must keep in mind," the woman said sternly, "is that the outcome of this ball reflects heavily on Madam Apolla and all her associates! More than a hundred guests are here and I need a secure, safe, well-organized environment for them."

Jaina stood uncomfortably between Katrina and a burly guard, wondering why so many of them felt the need to include razor-sharp swords and pikes in their arsenals. Was it just a show of strength? Now that she thought about it, probably. Part of having wealth was letting people know about it.

The chief then split the guards into cells to watch over different part of the mansion and its grounds. Jaina silently accepted her assignment to watch over the dance hall, and was relieved that Katrina and Sophia would also be with her. Cadoc would help oversee the amphitheater while Petros, Daxis and Lagro were told to patrol the second floor.

Then, as the guards were dismissed and filed from the room, Jaina gathered her allies and said in a low voice, "So... remember the plan. Watch over Jero and follow him to find the trusted one. When one of us gets a lead, that person is to alert the others without getting caught."

"You make it sound so easy," Petros frowned. "This is a big place, and there's a lot of people..."

"We'll find a way," Jaina said bracingly. "At least we all remember who is assigned to guard where, right?"

Petros shrugged. "All right. Just watch yourself out there, okay?"

Jaina smiled. "Back at you."

*o*o*o*o*

Jaina yawned and felt her stomach rumble with hunger that evening as she watched rich people dance. Hundreds of candles glowed in chandeliers overhead and a symphony played all the classics as colorfully-dressed men, women, and awkward teenagers waltzed in the wide dance hall. Night had fallen outside and the guests were already full from what Jaina heard was an exquisite banquet, but Jaina had had to make do with a quick, simple dinner at the personnel wing. And the night was still young.

_I wonder if anyone else made any headway yet, _Jaina thought idly as she watched a rotund man waltz his partner with surprising grace. She couldn't control Jero's movements or behavior, but since Jero was a guest of Madam Apolla's, he was bound to stay on the premises. That was something, at least.

Madam Apolla was similarly elusive. Jaina had only glimpsed her a few times ever since arriving here, but the old woman looked ordinary enough. This evening, the hostess wore expensive, cherry-red robes with gold clasps on her forearms, as well as diamond earrings.

Vaguely, Jaina wondered what she'd wear if _she _were one of the dancers out there on the dance floor. She felt distinct envy as she watched young women and girls twirl about and flash their different-colored gowns and jewelry. Having grown up in a farm town and then trained at the Reverent Army academy, Jaina had never attended a formal event like this and never worn a real ladies' outfit. But what if she did?

_Turquoise. Yeah, definitely, _Jaina thought with a grin, watching a young woman about her age wearing a gown of that color. Many women back in Meletis seemed to prefer cherry red in accordance to current fashion trends, but Jaina found something soothing about cool colors like turquoise. Red was for the blood and fire of combat, but as Sophia had constantly reminded her, Jaina needed balance in her life. Why not indulge in a little beauty?

_I'd have to work for years to afford an outfit like those, _Jaina realized. Here, she really felt the contrast between the working class and the elite. Back at Meletis, Jaina had seen wealthy people a few times, but she was more used to the Reverent Army academy, where everyone worked and fought together for a single cause.

Out here in the real world, though, there was stratification. Some types of people were born to live far above the heads of the common masses.

"See anyone suspicious?" Jaina muttered as she walked over to Katrina.

Katrina shook her head. "Nothing out of the ordinary. I haven't seen Jero come in here at all."

"Nor I."

"We'll just have to be patient," Katrina admitted. "This could take a long time. Keep watch for any of the others. Petros or the others might have found something."

_I know what my own plan is, _Jaina grumbled in her head. Still, she walked back to her post without complaint and folded her arms, scanning the dancing crowd.

Not many faces stood out to Jaina, but there was one man dressed in black who seemed to be a real charmer. With unusual red hair that was artfully slicked back and a short beard, he kept a perpetual smile on his face as he asked women to dance with him. They were all more than happy to be seen with him; maybe he was really popular in certain social circles?

_He looks like a guy from my home town, _Jaina thought as she watched the man take the hand of a giggling woman. She remembered a red-haired lumberjack who had helped Jaina's father build a new barn for the town. But that man was a burly, hairy, rural type of man, not this sophisticated money-bag.

Ten minutes later, the sophisticated money-bag parted casually from the crowd and edged his way toward a side hall.

Feeling a burst of excitement, Jaina worked her way around the dance hall until she found Sophia and tapped her friend on the shoulder. "I've got something. Do you see that red-haired man in the black robes?"

Sophia squinted through the crowds. "Yeah, there he is. Let me get Katrina. You go follow him and we'll catch up."

Heart racing, Jaina carefully made her way through the dance hall, past the symphony's stage, and after the red-haired man's retreating back. She made sure to keep her footsteps quiet as she went and checked over her shoulder for Katrina and Sophia. Within a minute or so, the others joined Jaina and together they stalked the suspicious man.

The mansion seemed oddly quiet once Jaina left the noisy ball room, and she and the others made doubly sure that the red-haired man didn't notice them. So far, so good; Jaina kept the man in her sights as he navigated Madam Apolla's mansion toward the east wing. But once the man walked through a set of doors into the crowded action room, trouble came up.

"What are you three doing here?" asked one of Madam Apolla's guards. He and one other stood sentinel by the action room's door, closely eyeing Jaina and the others.

"I thought I heard something around here," Jaina invented. She was never that great a liar and prayed that the guard would buy it.

"Like what?" asked the other. "It's been quiet here. We have everything under control."

"Footsteps," Jaina said boldly. "But I suppose it's nothing. I'll get back to my post."

"Good. Get going," the first guard told her.

Jaina and the others reluctantly agreed, but just as Jaina turned to leave, she spotted Jero seated in the action room, his back to her. Jaina easily recognized the pack master's hairstyle and clothes. So, the red-haired man came to meet Jero here! Mr. redhead was almost definitely the trusted one.

But what to do?

"Katrina, go get Cadoc," Sophia said firmly once the party found a secluded stretch of the mansion. "Jaina and I will go upstairs and fetch the others. Then we'll carefully watch for Jero and the trusted one. I doubt they're going to stay in that action room for too long."

Katrina nodded once and stole toward the nearest exit. Jaina, meanwhile, led Sophia up the stairs to the second floor, praying for Heliod to watch over her. She was really in the thick of things now.

*o*o*o*o*

The second floor didn't have nearly as much activity as the first. Most of the guest rooms up here were empty, since their occupants were either dancing, auctioning, or watching a theatrical performance at the amphitheater. Still, there were some guards up here on the second floor, more than just the members of Jaina's party. That could be an issue.

"I'll make an illusion to draw them off," Sophia whispered in Jaina's ear. Both women huddled around a corner, watching a pair of guards walk toward them with swords sheathed at their belts. "Then we run."

Jaina nodded and clenched her fists. Put together, she and Sophia could probably overpower a pair of guards, but violence would raise the alarm, and the last thing Jaina wanted was more attention.

Sophia closed her eyes and welled up her blue mana. Azure wisps curled from her hands and, with a few complex motions, Sophia conjured a phantom copy of a dark-haired man from the dance hall.

"Hey! I saw something down there!" called out the illusion. The phantom man sprinted onto the scene and waved his arms to get the guards' attention, then he pointed down a dimly-lit side hall. "I think you better check it out."

"Stay here. We'll look into it," a guard said flatly. He and his companion marched down the indicated side hall, swords held at the ready. As soon as they rounded a corner, the illusion dissolved into nothing.

Jaina and Sophia sprinted quickly but quietly across the thickly carpeted hallway and checked their corners. To Jaina's relief, Daxis was up ahead, yawning as he patrolled. His spear was holstered on his back.

"Daxis!" Jaina hissed. "We found a red-haired man meeting Jero in the auction room. Go get Petros and Lagro!"

Without saying a word, Daxis nodded and hurried off in the opposite direction. Just as Daxis vanished around a corner, however, the two guards came up from behind.

"We didn't find anyth– hey!" one of the guards said. "What are you two doing here? You're supposed to watch the dance hall, like the captain said."

"She, uh..." Jaina mumbled.

"Change of plans," Sophia said grimly. She shot out her arms and enveloped both guards in cocoons of strong white mana.

Both men yelped in surprise and toppled to the floor like bowling pins. They strained against their bonds but it was no good. "We've been attacked!" one of the men hollered. "Two of Jero's extra guards attacked us!"

Jaina couldn't have that. She unsheathed her left sword and bashed each man on the head with the pommel to knock them both out. It was only a temporary measure, but it should buy Jaina enough time to pursue Jero and the trusted one. Barely.

"We're here," Petros panted as he, Daxis, and Lagro approached from down the hall. "Where's Katrina and Cadoc?"

"They'll catch up," Jaina told him shortly. "We don't have much time. Downstairs, now!"

All five of them sprinted past the two inert guards and stormed back down the stairs. Jaina frantically scanned the hallways for any sign of her quarries. She was sure that both men would show up any second, en route to their real meeting place. The auction room was too public.

"What are you five doing here? What's going on?" asked the security captain herself. She and four others formed a semi-circle around Jaina's party.

Jaina's heart raced. "We thought we heard a disturbance upstairs, so we went to check it out. It was nothing."

"I don't think so," the captain retorted. "Something is up with you guys. I don't know where Jero got you people from, but I'll find out soon. Men, we're taking them prisoner." At her word, she and the other four drew their swords.

"There's no need for violence," Jaina urged the captain, but she realized that it was no good. The sound of battle would alert the whole mansion, and Jero and the trusted one could slip away during the chaos, unnoticed.

Before the security captain could make a move, however, two more figures arrived. With a flying kick enhanced by Nylea's blessing, Katrina sent the security captain sprawling. She had struck the captain right on the head, knocking her out. Then, in a whirl of enchanted legs, Katrina knocked the other four guards out of action, not even giving them a chance to cry for help. Cadoc had arrived too, but he didn't even need to do anything.

Lagro stared. "That was amazing!"

"Thanks. But we're running out of time," Katrina huffed. "Jaina, lead the way."

Glad to be of some help, Jaina led the party back to the east wing, but there wasn't a soul in sight. Panicking slightly, Jaina sprinted down a wide hall, past expensive paintings and closed doors, wondering if all this effort would be for nothing. She rounded a corner but was met with more emptiness.

Had Jero and the trusted one already retreated behind a hidden door or maybe illusionary barrier? Both were possible, and Jaina felt her throat tighten with anxiety. This wasn't her forte; a clash of blades or fist fighting match was her area of expertise. She turned to the others. "Please tell me you have something."

Cadoc and Katrina shook their heads, but Sophia came to the rescue. "I sense something," she said, screwing her face up in concentration. "It's faint, but it's there. Below us. Underground."

Relief flooded through Jaina's brain. "What kind of 'something'?"

"It's big, whatever it is," Sophia explained. "Maybe a ritual spell. But I don't know why the trusted one would want to carry out a ritual _here_, when there's a bunch of innocent people around."

"Unless they're the intended victims," Cadoc realized, his eyes widening. "Those people are in danger. We have to move!"

Sophia took the lead, sprinting down the hall like a hound chasing a scent. Jaina, as a non-mage, felt only mundane air against her face as she ran, but her friend was something else entirely. It was lucky that the Shadow League members indulged in powerful spells, or else Jaina's quest would have reached a dead end long before this.

After a few wrong turns, Sophia found a spot where, according to her, the ritual magic was strongest. Jaina found herself standing in an empty hallway that looked much like the others. Moonlight shone through the windows and crickets chirped in the well-tended gardens outside.

"There must be a secret door around here," Cadoc said, scoping the place out. He conjured little flames of red mana on his fingers, knelt to the floor, and cut through the expensive carpeting. He peeled back the carpet and felt around on the bare wooden floor, but there was nothing.

"Hurry," Jaina urged him. She could hear distant voices and didn't like the sound of them. By now, the whole mansion was a hostile zone.

"I'm trying," Cadoc snapped. He motioned for everyone to stand back, then extended his red mana flames into blades that slashed and burned through the wooden walls. Charred scraps of wood scattered everywhere and Jaina coughed at the dust and plaster particles that filled the air. Still nothing, and Jaina heard the voices getting louder, not to mention rapid footsteps. Guards were coming.

Frustrated, Katrina decided to pitch in. She swept her left leg across a bare patch of wall, and large chunks of wood blasted through the air.

Light shone from within the wall.

"I've got something!" Katrina quickly realized that she had damaged a hidden sliding door, and she soon slid the panel back all the way. A square, stone passageway led downward through the wall, with neatly carved steps and torches on the walls. The torches burned not with fire, but tamed red mana.

There was no time to waste. As the voices came closer, Jaina led the party into the passageway. For added security, Sophia threw up a shimmering barrier of white mana at the passage's entrance. Her arms trembled with fatigue and sweat ran down her face, but she looked determined. "Don't worry about me," she said when Jaina threw her a concerned look. "I'm doing my part. Just take care of the rest."

The passageway leveled out after about fifty steps, and at the end of a long tunnel yawned a cavernous, well-lit room. Blue streamers of mana circled around the room like eels.

At the room's center, three people looked up to behold the intruders: Jero, the red-haired trusted one, and Madam Apolla.

"Well, isn't this a surprise," sneered the red-haired man. He now wore a billowing gold-colored cloak over his formal attire, the same style as Jero's black cloak. He even held a gold, skull-shaped mask in his gloved left hand. "Jero's extra security."

"What are they doing here?" Madam Apolla snapped. She knelt on the stone floor, surrounded by glowing blue runes and lines. Although an elderly woman, she radiated strength and pride.

"Jero had the idea to lure them here, right into our laps," the trusted one explained. He glanced at Jero with contempt. "He told me everything: how these people destroyed the golem I created, then how Jero got himself captured and interrogated."

Madam Apolla tensed. "He talked? Alexander, I thought you Shadow League people were more secure than this!"

"Jero is the exception, it seems," the red-haired man, Alexander, shrugged. "I certainly appreciate having these bold, anti-League warriors brought to me so I may kill them together. Jero, you were even clever enough to realize that the mage girl would sense the ritual and find the way here. I applaud you! But still... I don't want Shadow League secrets given away so freely, Jero. Do you understand?"

Jero nodded. "I do."

Alexander sighed. "I don't think so. You know what, I'm just going to tie up this loose end and be done with it." He drew a knife from his gold League robes, then put on his skull mask.

"Now, wait a minute," Jero said quickly, backing up a few steps. "You don't have to – uuurrgh!"

For Alex had stepped forward and thrust his knife right into Jero's heart. The trusted one bored his gaze into the pack master's eyes as a final admonition, then threw aside Jero's bleeding body.

"I can't believe it," Sophia muttered in Jaina's ear. "Madam Apolla, in cahoots with the Shadow League!"

"What kind of spell is that?" Jaina quietly responded.

"A large-scale mind control ritual," Sophia told her. "Now I get it: Madam Apolla wants to gather all these influential, rich people and enslave them to the League's interests! The League could conquer every corner of Theros with that power! People from every major polis and town are here."

Alexander chuckled. "Clever girl," he praised Sophia. His voice was a little muffled behind his mask, but still carried. "Yes, I can hear you over there! My fellow trusted ones and I decided it's time to make a bold move, and Madam Apolla was only too happy to help in exchange for Erebos' favor and a share of the League's power. It's only good business."

"And you children thought I was some harmless old woman on an island," Madam Apolla sneered. Her kind, grandmotherly features vanished behind a mask of ferocity. "So you got past my guards. Well done. But Alexander is different."

"I'm different than anything you seven have ever seen," Alexander declared. He took a few steps closer while Madam Apolla's ritual spell intensified. "Unlike little Jero over there, I've been entrusted with Erebos' greatest power and forbidden knowledge. Here. Look."

Alexander snapped out both arms. A long, sizzling whip of black mana snaked out from his left hand, but unlike Jero's mana whip, coils of red mana pulsed in the cord's ethereal body. Then, from Alexander's right hand extended a similar whip cord entwined with dark blue mana.

"Erebos has learned the secrets of Thassa and Purphoros over time," Alexander said. He twitched both whips. "The savage destruction of red, the enchanting power of blue, and Erebos has loaned me it all. _This _is what it means to be a trusted one!"

He broke out into a trot and raised his whips for combat. On the other side of the room, Jaina drew her twin blades while her fellows prepared their own magic and weapons.

"Everyone ready?" Jaina asked, voice and body both taut.

"Of course." Cadoc stepped forward with his red and white mana blazing on both hands. "Today, we kill a trusted one."


	12. Chapter 12

**PATH OF ASCENSION**

**by Ulquiorra9000**

**Chapter 12**

Jaina wasn't surprised to see Alexander kill Jero; after all, Jero had lost his grays, lost his powers (making him near-useless to the League), and most of all, led Jaina straight to Madam Apolla's island. But even with Jero gone, Jaina still had other problems.

Alexander chuckled as he stalked closer to Jaina's party. He playfully slashed the floor with his mana whips as a show of force, daring his opponents to face him. Jaina gripped her swords tight, but her weapons had never felt so useless. What good could her metal sticks do against power like _that_? She had never seen anyone use three colors of mana before, not even the battle-wise veterans of the Reverent Army.

At the same time, Madam Apolla got to work on her ritual. Crackling blue mana swirled around her as she placed her palms on the stone floor, and the very air seemed to thicken as the ritual spell intensified. With Alexander standing between her and Jaina's party, Madam Apolla looked very comfortable with her situation. In fact...

"He's fueling her power," Sophia told Jaina urgently.

"Huh?" Jaina was preoccupied with more pressing matters.

Sophia made an impatient noise. "No single person could have enough mana to use a ritual spell on so many people. Alexander is helping her. See the mana streams?"

Jaina squinted. Now that she looked away from Alexander's mana whips, she saw faint trails of blue mana flowing from Alexander's body to Madam Apolla's hands. So, defeating Alexander could shut down the ritual? Simple.

But not easy.

"Raaaaah!" Alexander snapped his left wrist and sent his left mana whip crashing to the floor. The black mana barely touched the stone surface when the pulsing red mana ignited. A string of blinding explosions threw Jaina off her feet; she actually felt herself fly through the air and fall heavily onto her side. Groaning, Jaina sat up and saw a deep, scorched impression on the floor where Alexander's mana whip had struck.

Cadoc, too, had fallen, but now he sprang back to his feet with a feral expression. "Katrina, Jaina, Petros, cover me. I'll finish him."

Sophia and the hoplites hung back while Jaina charged Alexander with the others. Jaina let loose a cry and let her years of training with Mr. Loxan and the other instructors take over. Her blades whirled through the air in a deadly pattern as she pressed into Alexander's right flank. The blue-black mana whip lashed through the air, but too slowly; Jaina leaped to avoid the sizzling cord and she pressed her attack.

Hardened black mana absorbed the impact of Jaina's swords, but still, Jaina allowed herself a small grin; so she could break through Alexander's guard, and that meant that Cadoc could, too. Now, if Cadoc got the chance...

Petros nocked an arrow, drew it back, and fired. The arrow flashed through the air and forced Alexander to bring up his right mana whip to block it. During that split-second distraction, Katrina spun around and unleashed a mana-infused roundhouse kick that caught Alexander on the head. Again, the black mana barriers saved Alexander from harm, but now Cadoc's attack plan was complete.

A whirling drill of red and white mana encased Cadoc's hand as Cadoc sank his fist into Alexander's gut. For a few seconds, both men stood their ground while mana flared around them. Then, with a burst of energy, they flew apart.

"I think that one connected," Cadoc gasped as he stumbled back. Sweat ran down his face and his clothes were burnt from the clash of mana, but he had a grim look of satisfaction on his face.

Jaina could see why; Alexander's mana barriers had failed him, and the smell of burnt flesh filled the room as Alexander clapped a hand to his smoking belly. The trusted one's chest heaved.

"Not bad, kid," Alexander growled, looking down at the wound. Then his head snapped up and he locked eyes with Cadoc through his mask's eye holes. "Let's see if you can do that twice."

Again Alexander's whips snaked through the air, and his red-black whip extended far enough to catch Petros on his midriff. The archer cried out as he was thrown against the wall, then he slumped to the floor.

"Petros!" Jaina tried to rush to Petros' aid, but before she could, Alexander's other mana whip found her. The blue-black lash smacked her across her face, but oddly, there was no pain. In fact, it felt... _good_.

Jaina blinked a few times. Since when was Madam Apolla's ritual such a big deal? In fact, she wanted to see the ritual spell carried out. So many pretty shades of blue. And Cadoc... what was his deal? All he did was attack others and push others away emotionally. He needed to be taught a lesson.

"Jaina! Stop!" Cadoc howled as his fellow warrior turned her blades on him. Cadoc's mana-infused fists blocked Jaina's rapid blows as they came, red and white magic clashing loudly with tempered steel blades. But long, grueling matches against Mr. Loxan had sharpened Jaina's abilities to a fine edge, and before long, Jaina scored a shallow but long wound across Cadoc's chest.

Something green and hard collided with Jaina's belly a second later. Before Jaina could land another blow on Cadoc, Katrina's left foot had landed a solid kick that threw Jaina aside like a doll. Stunned, Jaina scrambled to her feet, but everything had resumed clarity. The light, funny feeling in her mind vanished and she realized what had just happened.

"Cadoc, I'm sorry! It was Alexander's..." Jaina started.

Cadoc nodded, wincing. "I know. Now that you're back on my side, let's try this again."

This time, Daxis and Lagro joined the fray. Although the hoplites were better trained for soldier-on-soldier battle, they raised their weapons and charged the enemy headlong. Petros, meanwhile, had recovered and loosened a second arrow to back them up. Finally, Jaina, Katrina, and Cadoc surrounded the trusted one and attacked from all sides.

It was no good. Alexander let out a whoop of laughter and slapped his red-black whip onto the floor, and another string of explosions threw up a fiery wall that stopped the assault cold. When the smoke cleared, Alexander stood tall and proud in his gold robes.

"Is that all you people can manage?" he taunted them. Behind him, Madam Apolla's spell intensified even more. "All of Theros will belong to the Shadow League pretty soon if this is all the opposition we'll get. You guys are ridiculous! What a joke."

Jaina snarled. Blood pounded in her ears as she re-evaluated her pompous opponent. If only there was a way! Maybe... "Follow my lead!" she announced, then sprinted past Alexander's left flank.

Once again Alexander's whips snapped through the air, but this time, Katrina sprang into the air and bashed the lashes aside with a few kicks. Taking her chance, Jaina broke past Alexander's flank and closed in on Madam Apolla. Jaina swung her blade at the old woman with all her strength...

And a barrier of sky-blue mana deflected it. Jaina felt her swords wobble in her hands as the shield threw back all the energy of Jaina's attack. _Another barrier! My swords can't break it... maybe Cadoc can shatter it._

Too late. Alexander's red-black whip snapped through the air between Jaina and Madam Apolla, then it released a violent blast of red mana that sent Jaina sprawling onto the floor once again. Jaina's ears rang and she numbly felt hideous pain radiating all over her body. Her skin felt stiff and charred, and when she felt her chest, her fingers ran over burnt flesh. Agony flashed through Jaina's brain and she went limp, groaning.

From her vantage point on the floor, Jaina saw Alexander catch Katrina with his blue-black whip. The trusted one threw back his head and laughed as Katrina knocked aside the hoplites with fierce kicks, and even Cadoc and Petros were hard-pressed to defend themselves from Katrina's assault.

_We can't lose. We can't! _Jaina wailed in her mind. She slowly reached out and gripped the stone floor, slowly dragging herself to Alexander, who had his back to her. Carefully, so as not to aggravate her burn wounds, Jaina extended her other hand and inched ever closer to her opponent. What could se do once she caught him? Not much, but some kernel of defiance overrode all of Jaina's other thoughts.

Destroy Alexander. That's all that mattered.

Katrina, meanwhile, shook herself free of Alexander's influence at last and whirled around to face the trusted one. She took a flying leap and threw an impressive kick, but it was for nothing. Alexander's red-black whip caught her halfway and tossed her aside with a blast of fiery mana.

Despair sank into Jaina's mind as she watched. She had been so sure that her quest would end with success, but Alexander was putting a quick end to that idea. If Jaina and the others didn't do something _now_, Madam Apolla's ritual would finish and every wealthy and influential person on Theros would fall under Shadow League control.

Jaina remembered the smug, happy faces of the people above her, who enjoyed their evening ignorant of the danger below them. She didn't really identify with such people, but they didn't deserve to become psychic slaves of the Shadow League. No one did.

That thought reminded Jaina of her obligation as a reverent warrior. What was Jaina's own life against the fate of so many? She owed those people her own life if that's what it took to defeat Alexander and stop the ritual spell.

A tinging sensation spread across Jaina's body from head to toe as she watched Alexander toss around Cadoc, Petros and the others. Jaina felt her mote of defiance swell in her, growing and hardening into pure resolve like she never felt before. She didn't have the strength to defeat a trusted one like Alexander, but gods be damned, she certainly _felt _righteous fury in the face of Alexander's wicked power.

Somehow, Jaina's body felt lighter and the pain in her burns faded. Was she dying? If so, death wasn't so bad. It felt like a warm, soft blanket that wrapped itself around her, glowing pure white, with specks of light like diamond shards...

But something was off. That wasn't death. That wasn't Erebos dragging Jaina to the world beyond the Five Rivers.

It was Heliod's favor.

Jaina hardly dared to believe it, but there was no denying it now. She found the strength to get to her feet and stand tall, and her legs didn't even wobble or buckle under her weight. Her burn wounds ad been healed, too.

Elated, Jaina scooped up her swords and put them in the ready position. To Jaina's amazement, shimmering plates of ethereal white mana augmented both swords' blades. The stars of Nyx glittered on the swords' metal edges, and similar enchantments plated Jaina's body like armor from neck to toes.

Then Jaina heard Heliod's unmistakable voice booming in her mind: _"Persevere."_

_I can do that, big guy, _Jaina thought, and she felt a grin crossing her face. _Just watch me!_

Alexander whirled around just in time to see Jaina lunge with her swords whirling through the air in a blur of pearly mana. Shocked, the trusted one blocked the blow just in time with his mana whips. Multi-colored mana sizzled and spat at the point of contact.

"You've got some fight in you, girl," Alexander sneered, but Jaina could hear concern in the man's voice. "So, you got Heliod's favor? Then let's see whose god is superior."

Jaina was eager to find out, too. With an almighty heave, she knocked aside Alexander's mana whips and jabbed her right blade at the trusted one's exposed chest. Alexander narrowly dodged the blow, but Jaina's blade still ripped through his gold cloak and scorched it. Then, before Alexander could strike back, Jaina withdrew and joined her fellows.

"Jaina, you did it!" Sophia exclaimed, her eyes wide. "After all this time..."

"The big man upstairs decided to be generous," Jaina babbled. She had worked so long for this, and here it was: Heliod's blessing, the power needed to fight people like Alexander. _Now _the Shadow League was in trouble!

By now, Petros had recovered, and he now joined Jaina and the others to confront the trusted one. Everyone was prepared to take the fight to Alexander once again, bolstered by the presence of Jaina's newfound favor.

Still, Alexander was far from beaten. He huffed and returned his whips to the ready position. "Don't think you've won," he warned Jaina. He slashed the floor with his blue-black whip for emphasis.

Jaina merely grinned and led the charge with her fellows.

This time, Alexander sent both whips at Jaina simultaneously. Bracing herself, Jaina crossed her blades in front of her and let her favor take the brunt of Alexander's assault. It felt like trying to lift a mountain; the sheer pressure of Alexander's assault was incredible, and Jaina felt her cocky eagerness melting in the face of sudden panic. Jaina's vision was filled with a wall of black, blue, and red mana that bore down on her enchanted swords and arms.

Baring her teeth, Jaina strained her muscles and threw every bit of her strength against Alexander's. Still, she felt herself being slowly pushed back. Her sandaled feet skidded across the stone floor, slowly, inexorably. _I can't keep this up! Someone... help! _Her arms trembled and her favor flickered in protest.

Then, the pressure lifted. Jaina threw aside Alexander's whips at last and saw that Cadoc and Katrina had both caught Alexander in his flank. Cadoc's mana drills and Katrina's enchanted feet had both bashed the trusted one aside, and now the gold-cloaked figure was tumbling helplessly across the floor.

Petros released another arrow as Daxis and Lagro moved in for the kill. Alexander rolled to avoid the hoplites' weapons, but he couldn't stop Petros' arrow from piercing his back. The trusted one's scream blasted through his gold mask.

"You're all dead!" Furious, Alexander sprang to his feet and tossed aside his gold skull mask, the better to breathe. Sweat ran down his face and his stylish red hair now hung in damp, messy clumps.

"Come and get us, punk," Petros grinned fiercely.

Alexander complied. His red-black mana whip lashed through the air and caught Petros right on the midriff. A pair of wall-shuddering explosions blasted Petros through the air, and the archer once again sprawled to the floor.

In another instant, Alexander's blue-black whip coiled around Daxis' head and squeezed. With shaking hands, Daxis dropped his spear and drew a combat knife from his belt. Then, the hoplite drew the blade across his neck. Blood seeped from the wound for a few agonizing seconds, then the hoplite crumpled.

"No!" Jaina aggressively resumed the attack, swords flashing everywhere. Her blades clashed repeatedly with Alexander's whips, exchanging heavier blows than Jaina had ever felt. Faster and faster the warriors traded strikes, and although Jaina felt Heliod's power driving her, she knew that the power was draining away fast. Fatigue settled back in, and the divine favor dimmed a little with each exchange.

But Alexander was in trouble too. His mana whips became slower and less responsive, and that gave Jaina the chance she needed to land a few glancing blows on her opponent. By now, Cadoc and the others simply hung back, unwilling to get caught in the middle. The battle had escalated beyond what either of them could handle.

Then, Alexander knocked Jaina aside with his blue-black whip and lashed Petros again with the other. Another string of explosions tossed Petros' charred form like a doll, and from here, Jaina couldn't even tell if Petros was still alive. She prayed that he was.

With a final burst of strength, Jaina brought down her favor-enhanced swords upon Alexander's head. She poured all her remaining power into the blow, and likewise, Alexander defied her with a final spurt of dark power. For a few seconds, the two warriors strained against each other in a colorful vortex of mana.

Then, just as quickly, they breached each other's defenses and landed desperate blows. Jaina's enchanted blades carved into Alexander's chest while the red-black whip slashed across Jaina's torso. Utterly spent, both warriors backed away from each other, staring each other down but unable to deal another blow.

_Just a little more! _Jaina encouraged herself, but she knew that she could do no more. Her vision went fuzzy and she felt her legs wobble underneath her.

Similarly, Alexander was covered in mana burns and cuts and his whips had fizzled out, but he managed to stagger back, clutching his belly. Painfully, he cracked a small grin in spite of himself. "Well fought, girl."

Jaina opened her mouth to respond but never managed to say anything. She crumpled to the floor, her vision went black, and she knew no more.


	13. Chapter 13

**PATH OF ASCENSION**

**by Ulquiorra9000**

**Chapter 13**

Seconds later, it seemed, light faded back into Jaina's vision. Blurred shapes moved around her and muffled sounds rattled her ears, but she chose to just lay there and conserve her energy. Only dimly did she remember what just happened: her fierce clash with Alexander, the brilliant favor of Heliod against the dark favor of Erebos.

Alexander!

"Where is he?" Jaina bolted upright and grimaced. Her burn wounds were gone, but Alexander's final attack had cut into her belly. Luckily, though, someone had wrapped her in torn strips of a shirt to stop the bleeding.

By now, Heliod's favor had dimmed to faint plates of ethereal armor, but it seemed stable. Good.

"Take it easy, Jaina," Sophia said gently. She knelt by her friend. "Alexander is gone. So is Madam Apolla."

"Wh... what?" Jaina felt suddenly cold inside, and not just from blood loss. She stared around at the torch-lit room, but only her friends were there. She'd have liked to see Alexander's and Madam Apolla's corpses... but no such luck.

Cadoc knelt by Jaina's other side. "With Alexander's power drained, we shattered Madam Apolla's barrier and she aborted the ritual spell. But we didn't have the strength to stop her or Alexander. They fled upstairs, and I'll bet that they've left the island by now. They've got no reason to linger."

"No..." Jaina barely whispered the word. Then, her voice rose to a shout, startling her friends. "No! They can't be gone... they..." She broke off, her throat tight. "D-did Petros make it? Where is he?"

"I'm sorry, Jaina, but he didn't survive the battle," Katrina said heavily. She pointed at Petros' limp form, which lay nearby. It seemed that someone had dragged him there and tidied him up a bit. "Daxis is dead, too. He bled out when Alexander controlled him."

For a second, Jaina simply stared at Petros' body. Then she felt another wave of anger flare up. "I could have saved them! I had Heliod's favor! It was my job to keep them safe, and I failed!"

"You were out for several minutes," Cadoc told Jaina firmly. "We did all we could to prevent the ritual, but we had to let Alexander and Madam Apolla go. You did great work by draining Alexander's power, Jaina. You did enough."

"No, I didn't!" Jaina pounded the stone floor with her fist. Tears leaked from her eyes. "Petros and Daxis were counting on me. I was their leader! And now look! They're dead!"

"They knew the risks," Sophia said urgently. She clasped Jaina's shoulder and squeezed. "There's nothing you could have -"

"Heliod failed me!" Jaina howled. "He couldn't save them, either!" She leaned her head back to curse the heavens. "Why couldn't you help me, Heliod? I trusted you! I worked so hard for your favor and this is what happens?"

Sophia and Cadoc forced Jaina to lay down, and for a second Jaina considered fighting back. Then, she felt all the fight leaking from her mind. She clapped her hands over her face and wept freely. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "I d-don't know what to do."

Jaina felt Sophia place a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she felt something else too. She suddenly felt heavier, as though she would sink into the stone floor. Then she realized that Heliod's favor was leaving her body, one plate at a time. Alarmed, Jaina uncovered her face and sat back up, but it was too late. Heliod's favor was gone, and Jaina distinctly felt a sense of disappointment that wasn't her own. Was Heliod sending her a message?

Either way, Jaina didn't care. She had proven herself weak and stupid, and Heliod had abandoned her. Yes, Madam Apolla's scheme had been thwarted, but at what cost? Petros and Daxis lay dead, and both Alexander and Madam Apolla had escaped.

Jaina allowed herself a few more moments to cry before Cadoc helped her to her feet and escorted her back upstairs.

*o*o*o*o*

Madam Apolla's mansion was far from quiet. Over a hundred guests babbled and mingled as an alarmed crowd, and it took a flare of Cadoc's mana to get their attention.

"What happened?" demanded one elderly man in a dark blue outfit. His gray eyes shone with mingled terror, shock and indignation.

"We felt something in our heads!" a woman cried, seizing her head for emphasis. "A voice... and this terrible chill..."

"Was it Madam Apolla's voice?" Cadoc asked warily.

"It was hers!" the old man said loudly, and everyone murmured their assent. "What did she do? I've never felt anything like it!"

Sophia stepped forward. "It was a ritual spell designed to control you. Madam Apolla is allied with the Shadow League. She wanted to control all your minds and force you to spread the League's power and influence with your wealth and connections. That's why she threw this charity ball."

More alarmed babble filled the room and Jaina felt a sense of satisfaction. At last, these wealthy people understood the danger that threatened humanity. Maybe they'd even help support anti-League causes now, and use their wealth to bolster town guards and militias.

"Well, I've had enough!" the old man said, stomping his foot. "I'm taking the _Dawnsail _back to Coatia first thing in the morning!"

"So am I!" the woman declared.

"And me!" another woman added.

"As for you lot," the man said, pointing at Jaina's party. "Did you all play a hand in this?"

"We saved you," Cadoc said stiffly. "Down in the basement, we drove off Madam Apolla and her Shadow League associate before the ritual spell was completed. We paid for our victory with two lives. Be grateful."

The old man harrumphed. "That I am, son. Good to know _someone_ will stand up for what's right. I trust that you'll join us on the _Dawnsail _tomorrow?"

"That's right," Cadoc nodded. "We've had enough of this place."

The ball attendees were then escorted back to their rooms by Madam Apolla's guards, all of whom looked shaken but grateful. "I suppose I was wrong about you guys," said the short-haired captain to Jaina's party. She looked sheepish. "I tried to attack you earlier, but it turns out you saved us all from the Shadow League. I owe you."

"Don't worry about it," Cadoc said with a dismissive wave. "What's done is done."

Jaina's party was soon left alone on the ground floor, but before anyone could say a word, Cadoc conjured his red-white mana and smashed his fist into the wall. Charred chunks of wood flew everywhere.

"Cadoc! What are you...?" Katrina sputtered.

"They won't make fools of us again!" Cadoc raged. His face looked positively demonic. "That Alexander... I'll kill him! I'll find him, and I'll send him back to his master for good!" He punched the wall again, filling the air with smoke.

"Stop it!" Sophia seized Cadoc's arm to prevent another wall-shattering punch. "You said it yourself: it's over. Let's just go back to the mainland and recuperate, and then we'll give Daxis and Petros a proper burial at Coatia."

Cadoc relaxed his arm, but his expression didn't change. "Next time will be different," he huffed, eyes flaming. "I'll get stronger. I'll form an anti-League army if I have to, but some way or another, I'll see the League destroyed!"

"Okay, but let's worry about that later," Sophia consoled him. "We've earned some rest. Just relax."

Cadoc exhaled shakily. "Fine. But I won't forget what happened tonight. Not ever. Now let's go get some rest."

*o*o*o*o*

A small, enchanted sailboat finally docked at a misty, rocky shore far from Nanni Island. A full day had passed and once again it was evening. Two people disembarked from the boat and strode onto the shore. One was a tall, red-haired man with a gold cloak. The other was a gray-haired woman in red formal attire.

"Don't worry, they'll accept you," Alexander assured Madam Apolla as they approached a cave's yawning mouth. "I've told the other three trusted ones all about you. Our anti-intruder enchantments should recognize you."

"Good." Madam Apolla drew her robes about her; they didn't do much to protect her old bones from the beach's evening chill. "Lead the way."

The air in the cave was not only still, but unnaturally heavy. Powerful spells, handed down from Erebos himself, ensured that the cave was the most secure location in all of Theros for the four trusted ones to convene. To Alexander's relief, Madam Apolla ran into no trouble as the two of them ventured deeper inside. There was no lighting in the cave's natural corridors, but the enchantments led the way better than any torch could.

"So, this is Madam Apolla?" asked one of the three trusted ones seated at a round table. Alexander and Madam Apolla had just arrived in the cave's deepest room, where the floor was pleasantly flat and a globe of bright white mana shone on the ceiling. A few items sat on a shelf, including a simple wooden chest with a gold lock.

"I am," Madam Apolla said defensively. "Alexander and I bring unfortunate news. The ritual spell failed. A party of warriors interfered."

The three trusted ones muttered angrily as Alexander took his seat. "How did this happen?" demanded another trusted one, a deep-voiced man. He was easily the tallest and broadest of the four.

"It was one of my pack masters, Jero, who caused this," Alexander said bitterly. He alone showed his face; the other tree trusted ones wore their masks. "He was captured by the adventurers and willingly led them to the ritual. He planned to allow me to kill them all, and I did take two of their lives. But one of them, a Meletis girl by the looks of her, was granted Heliod's favor. Neither Jero nor I counted on that."

"Not even you could beat her?" asked the fourth trusted one. He spoke with a smooth, tenor voice. He gestured with a gloved hand. "Your skills and cunning are legendary among the League's ranks, Alexander!"

"I know," Alexander glowered. The four trusted ones were exactly equal in strength, by Erebos' design, but Alexander couldn't help but feel weak right now. "However, it was seven on one. Those kids had some real fight in them."

The woman sighed from behind her mask. "So, our plan failed. _You _failed, Alexander, because Jero was an idiot and you underestimated those adventurers. This can mean only one thing."

"No." Alexander felt his throat tighten. "I can fix this. I -"

"Too late," the biggest man cut in. "You and Madam Apolla both must pay. Nothing personal, Alexander, but this is too big. We'll find a pack master who's ready and willing to take your spot. Maybe someone less cocky."

Both Alexander and Madam Apolla shrank back, but it was no good. A shimmering barrier of blue mana sealed off the room and the three masked trusted ones got to their feet.

As one, the trusted ones raised their hands toward the ceiling and conjured a web of viscous blue and black mana. For a few seconds, the web lingered in the air like a cloud. Then it split into two streams, and both streams flowed into the minds of Alexander and Madam Apolla.

Alexander was paralyzed as he felt the blue-black memory spell ravage his brain. One by one, he felt his memories fade and he dimly wondered what the adventurers would make of this. They had failed to kill him, but this was the next-best thing: Alexander would become an ordinary man, stripped of his League-related memories and his favor alike. Maybe he'd be a merchant. Or a sailor, or a cooper. Maybe a blacksmith, even.

As Alexander's memories flowed from his mind, he also felt Erebos' favor fading away. His multicolor mana whips were forcibly summoned, then yanked free of his hands. Both whips were coiled up and placed in the chest with a gold lock, which had opened itself to receive Alexander's favor. It was no ordinary treasure chest; it could contain all kinds of magical items and spells, and once a pack master proves himself worthy, he or she will inherit Alexander's favor.

What, what _was _this place? Alexander suddenly felt lost. Three strangers in gold robes and skull-like masks were finishing some sort of spell, and now they were escorting him and a rich-looking old woman through a cave's dark tunnels. The people tore off Alexander's gold robe, leaving only his formal attire. What an odd color for a set of robes, anyway.

As soon as Alexander and the woman were shoved out of the cave's mouth, Alexander turned and cried, "Who are you people? What are you doing to me?"

"Good-bye," one of them said. With a snap of blue mana, Alexander was forced to turn around, and he suddenly couldn't remember what just happened. Was there someone else here? But when he looked around, he only saw the old woman and the empty mouth of a dark cave. Weird.

"I'm Madam Apolla," the old woman introduced herself. She offered a hand and Alexander shook it.

"I'm Alexander. So, what do you do?"

"Oh, dither about in my mansion," said Madam Apolla. "I really ought to go back home soon. This place is dreadful." She smiled. "So what do _you _do?"

Alexander shrugged. "I'm between jobs right now. I guess I might go to Therass or Coatia and pick up a trade. Might get into blacksmithing." He suddenly realized how long it's been since he saw his family. His little sister would definitely miss him, as would his elderly parents.

"That's wonderful, dear." Madam Apolla ignored the enchanted boat and walked across the beach, heading to the nearest road. "Now, let's get out of here."

Alexander broke into a stride. "Right behind you."

*o*o*o*o*

Back in the cave, the three trusted ones had settled their affair with Alexander and Madam Apolla, but something else troubled them.

"I almost regret doing that to Alexander," admitted the smooth-voiced man. "We need all the strength we can get right now. You've all heard the reports, right?"

The biggest man folded his arms. "I have. Something's out there, killing our grays and kidnapping the pack masters. Only leaves their clothes."

"I'd chalk it up to adventurers like the ones Alexander fought, but this seems wrong," the woman said, clenching her fists. "My pack masters report sensing faint traces of black and blue mana at the scenes of these attacks. Mana unlike anything they've ever sensed."

"Another cult?" the tenor man suggested. "Erebos has other followers besides us."

The woman shook her head and relaxed her hands. "No, something else entirely. All my pack masters are shaken by what they've sensed and they're alarmed by the mystery. Honestly, so am I. I've visited the most recent attack scene, and I didn't like it at all."

The biggest man leaned over the table, enraptured by the woman's words. "What can you say for certain?"

"I can't say it for _certain_, but it's a strong possibility," the woman said slowly.

"Well, what is it?" asked the tenor man impatiently.

"We'd better replace Alexander as soon as possible and increase our security measures," the woman said emphatically, "because I think we're being attacked by an entity that comes from beyond Theros itself."

*o*o*o*o*

**END OF PART I**

**A/N: **There's a few cards in the _Theros _set whose illustrations roughly match some of the characters. Here they are:

Jaina: Setessan Battle Priest

Sophia: Dissolve (except hair color)

Petros: Reverent Hunter

Jero: Lash of the Whip

Chari: Omenspeaker

The kraken: Shipbreaker Kraken


End file.
